Final American Cancer Society HEALED Webinar Features Don McCown Discussing Mindfulness
“There is evidence that practicing mindfulness can help people with cancer – and help
their caregivers. It impacts their quality of life,” says mindfulness educator and
practitioner Don McCown, a WCU health professor. He’ll address that topic on Wednesday,
December 7, in a conversation with Pat Croce as the final webinar in a free series
faculty in WCU’s College of Health Sciences developed for the American Cancer Society (ACS) HEALED Community. The topic is “The Importance of Daily Contemplative Practice and Mindfulness.” Register here for the free program, which begins at 5:30 p.m.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, mindfulness-based practices may improve the mental health of people with cancer: A 2019 analysis of 29 studies (3,274 total participants) of mindfulness-based practices showed that the use of mindfulness practices among people with cancer significantly reduced psychological distress, fatigue, sleep disturbance, pain, and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
An acronym for Health and Energy through Active Living Every Day, HEALED is an ACS community movement to educate and encourage people to live healthier lives in the present moment. The HEALED Community Movement’s goals are to reduce suffering and death due to cancer and to create a supportive community for cancer survivors, caregivers, and loved ones.
McCown is the founder and director for the University’s Contemplative Studies Center. He teaches in the undergraduate public health and health promotion programs as well as the master of public health program and is the director of the minor in contemplative studies.
WCU alumnus and cancer survivor Pat Croce hosts these online gatherings to discuss physical, mental, and spiritual health with expert guests and cancer survivors.
McCown hopes to have time during the webinar to lead a brief mindful meditation practice.
Register for the free webinar here, where you can also access recordings of previous webinars with other WCU faculty. Attendees are able to contribute to the ACS HEALED movement through donations.