Thomas Moore has written most of his 15 books with deepening spirituality in every aspect of life. He lectures on holistic medicine, spirituality, psychotherapy and the arts.
Nancy Welch, will speak on her journey this past year with rectal cancer, "My Bend in the Road."
Gaye Adegbalola a singer and songwriter has received the Blues Music Award. She is the survivor of two primary cancers, uterine and cervical in 1992.
Lise Alschuler is noted for her work as a naturopathic oncologist and is the co-author of "The Definitive Guide to Cancer: An Integrated Approach to Prevention, Treatment and Healing" as well as "Five to Thrive: Your Cutting-Edge Cancer Prevention Plan."
The conference will be Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Book signing opportunities will follow the Sunday session.
The conference is free to the public and is designed to give encouragement and educational information to those who have been diagnosed with any type of cancer or those close to cancer survivors.
Founded as a result of a personal cancer experience in 1989, Jan Adrian became one of the 1.8 million women in the country diagnosed with breast cancer. Jan has now had three primary cancers: 2 different kinds of breast cancers in both breasts, ocular melanoma in her eye and a total of 11 occurrences since her original diagnosis. She is “watching” the latest, which is lung cancer. She has had a mastectomy, a course of chemotherapy, and 35 radiation treatments.
This conference was born of the heart for others, wanting them to have more resources than she had when she faced her journey. She feels it is important to treat the physical, psychological and spiritual parts of the body in order to be healed.
The conference attendees will be empowered with knowledge to augment their medical program, inspired by the stories of others, uplifted by knowing they are not alone, and stirred by the power of music and laughter.
The purpose of the conference is to educate, inspire, celebrate and connect all whose lives have been touched by cancer or any life-altering illness.
Thomas Moore, author and educator will be the keynote speaker on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Moore holds a Ph.D. in religion and most of his 15 books deal with deepening spirituality in every aspect of life. He lectures on holistic medicine, spirituality, psychotherapy and the arts.
Moore’s latest book is “Care of the Soul”. Other books include, “The Guru of Golf,” 18 stories about the game of life using golf as the root metaphor, and “The Book of Job” a commentary on the story of Job.
Nancy Welch, will speak on Saturday at 2 p.m., on her journey this past year with rectal cancer. “My Bend in the Road,” will give attendees an opportunity to see Welch in a different light from the one they knew for many years on WSPA-TV.
Bunny Richardson, of Simpsonville, Corporate Communications for BMW Manufacturing Group, will speak on Sunday at 9:25 a.m. about her colon cancer for which she is still undergoing treatment.
The presenters are:
• Nancy Welch hosted “The Nancy Welch Show” on television for nearly 25 years before spending 20 years in higher education. She is well known in the Carolinas and Georgia as another Martha Stewart. Welch has authored three cookbooks, a humorous book about operating a Bed and Breakfast Inn and has written a regular magazine column on cooking and entertaining and has received many honors for her community involvement. Read more on Nancy's journey here.
• Gaye Adegbalola, a singer and songwriter, who has received the Blues Music Award. She is the front woman for Miz A & The Freedom Band. She is the survivor of two primary cancers, uterine and cervical in 1992.
• Lise Alschuler, has received many awards for her work as a naturopathic oncologist and is the co-author of, “The Definitive Guide to Cancer: An Integrated Approach to Prevention, Treatment and Healing” as well as “Five to Thrive: Your Cutting-Edge Cancer Prevention Plan.”
• Emmett Miller, one of the fathers of holistic and mind/body medicine, is a master storyteller and the author of many books including, “Deep Healing: The Essence of Mind/Body Medicine”.
• James Nave, a poet and artist from Asheville, N.C., began writing poems the morning after prostate surgery. “Looking At Light, 100 poems in 100 Days,” is the result of those efforts. He is the founder of The Imaginative Storm Creative Salon and was featured on NPR’s Weekend Edition.
• Laura Pole, President of Eating for a Lifetime, is a health supportive gourmet chef, an oncology clinical nurse specialist, a certified fitness instructor, and a musician for over 50 years. She blends all of these passions together and is considered one of the leading authorities on shaping the field of health and cooking for people with serious illnesses.
Jonna Tamares, an actress and three-time cancer survivor, has turned her experiences into a one-woman show, Jonna’s Body, Please Hold. The show was nominated for two Ovation Awards.
Visit healingjourneys.org to register and learn details about the conference.
The last two conferences were at Furman University and the TD Center. The conference is free through generous gifts from the Gibbs Cancer Center, Spartanburg Regional, Mary Black Foundation and others.