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Hematologist/Oncologist Dr. Maria Jorgensen’s experience coupling complementary treatments such as massage, meditation and acupuncture with traditional cancer treatments makes her an integral part of the North Star Lodge staff.
Dr. Jorgensen first came to Yakima to fill a temporary position at North Star Lodge in 2002. She previously conducted research at the University of Washington Medical Center, but after five months of bonding with patients and staff, she didn’t want to leave the clinical side of medicine to return to research. Dr. Jorgensen accepted a permanent position with Memorial Hospital in February 2003.
North Star Lodge’s tranquil feel and holistic approach to medicine makes it the perfect home for Dr. Jorgensen’s practice. Last summer, she traveled throughout China learning about alternative medicine and complementary healing methods, and now incorporates many of those treatments in her practice.
“Complementary medicine refers to treatment modalities that ‘complement’ conventional treatments,” Dr. Jorgensen says. “For instance, cancer patients undergoing standard treatment with chemotherapy and radiation might also take advantage of complementary treatments such as dietary strategies/nutritional supplementation, acupuncture, massage, meditation, support groups, counseling, and many other modalities.”
This approach to handling cancer and other diseases is described as the third leg of a stool. The first being medical oncology or chemotherapy, another being radiation oncology and Dr. Jorgensen’s methods as being the integrative or complementary approach.
“Cancer is something that changes your approach to life; it redefines your priorities,” she says. “Patients are looking for anything that will feed into that.”
