A Healing Touch Inspires Grateful Patient Philanthropy
“The doctor got it all. You are going to be just fine,” are the words Carol Fowler clearly remembers hearing as she awoke from surgery. Fowler, of Gansevoort, was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 1998. After seven years, having undergone two surgeries and numerous rounds of chemotherapy, Fowler was given the unfortunate news that the cancer had returned— this time in the liver. After being referred to Albany Medical Center for treatment, Fowler was informed that the tumor was not responding to the chemotherapy and extensive surgery was needed to remove it. Faced with the difficult news and a long road of recovery, Fowler sought the comfort of healing touch— a holistic approach to medicine.
“I didn’t have a clue what Healing Touch therapy was at first,” Fowler explains. However, she quickly discovered that the technique – a non-invasive energy based therapy – was gaining increased recognition in hospital settings for its benefits in relaxation and shortened healing times. She inquired about receiving this service at Albany Med, and after several blank stares was finally directed to Sharon Wheeler, Albany Med’s healing arts program manager. Sharon quickly arranged for Claudia Landau, an ecumenical chaplain in the pastoral care department, to be a participant in Fowler’s surgery and post-operative care. In the O.R., alongside the surgical team, Landau performed Healing Touch techniques to help rid Fowler’s body of cancer, techniques which continued on a regular basis during Fowler’s recuperation.
“Albany Med is a big place and can be very overwhelming. Healing touch helped to make it a calmer experience for me,” explains Fowler. As it turned out, Fowler isn’t just grateful for the calming effects of healing touch. According to Fowler, the techniques also helped to lessen the pain and get her up and moving around sooner than she experienced with previous surgeries. In fact, Fowler went home three days earlier than her physician anticipated. “I am positive that I would not have gotten well so quickly if not for Healing Touch.”
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As a result of her gratitude, Fowler generously donated to support Healing Touch, part of Albany Med’s Healing Arts Program. When asked about her motivation to give, Fowler explains, “The program is wonderful and must keep going.”
While Landau was grateful for Fowler’s philanthropic support and efforts to raise awareness about this service, she was even more grateful to be a part of the journey. “I felt so privileged and honored to accompany Carol into surgery. It was the best of what holistic health care can be.”
For more information on how you can support the Healing Arts Program, please call the Albany Medical Center Foundation at 518-262-3322.
