New CancerChoices Website Launches!

After more than 20,000 hours of work by a dedicated group of people who believe, with all their hearts, that all people should have access to integrative cancer care, Commonweal's CancerChoices.org website has launched.

From Commonweal President Michael Lerner:

We believe CancerChoices is among the best—and in some ways the best—of all websites on integrative cancer care.

This is our credo:

We strongly believe in the skillful use of conventional cancer therapies.
We strongly believe in our 7 Healing Practices for self-care.
We strongly believe in the skillful use of complementary approaches to cancer.

These three things—conventional care, self care, and complementary care—are true integrative cancer care.
Integrative cancer care will help you live better—and sometimes longer—than conventional care alone.

Why? Integrating these three essential forms of care gives you a better quality of life. If you draw on our 7 Healing Practices—move more, eat well, sleep well, reduce stress, create a healing environment, find love and support, and focus on what really matters now—you will likely become a stronger and healthier person living with cancer.

Many studies show this is true—integrative cancer care can make a big difference in both living as well as you can with cancer—and sometimes extending life as well.

Our “Search Therapies” database of integrative therapies is unique in the depth of our research and the accessibility we give you to the scientific studies that back up each modality. You can show your doctor the studies that back up each herb, supplement or healing practice.

No other integrative cancer website covers not only complementary therapies but also what we call ONCAs—off-label, overlooked or novel cancer approaches—many of which have gone through rigorous mainstream scientific evaluation. Aspirin is a good example. Metformin—a diabetes drug—is another.

We seek to be as objective as we possibly can be. No one can pay us to influence our reports. If we find evidence that points a new way, we immediately change our findings.

At Commonweal, our work in cancer and healing is central to our broader mission of healing ourselves and healing the earth. We’ve conducted over 210 week-long Commonweal Cancer Help Program retreats for people with cancer over more than three decades.

Our week-end retreats for Young Breast Cancer Survivors and Mets in the City continue.

Our month-long online Sanctuary program supports people with cancer who can’t physically come to Commonweal.

Our HealingCirclesGlobal.org community is sprouting healing circles for people with cancer and with many other forms of loss around the world.

The Collaborative on Health & the Environment is where we do our extensive work on preventing exposure to cancer-causing environmental chemicals.

The New School at Commonweal is home to our library of podcasts and videos with thought-leaders in cancer and healing work.

You can learn more about all of our Commonweal cancer programs at CancerChoices.org.

While CancerChoices.org is up and available now, the work on it is far from over. We’ll keep adding to it, refining it, and learning from your suggestions for years to come.

So, please, join us at CancerChoices.org. Let us know what you think.

We’re here for you. We welcome you to all the Commonweal cancer support healing community work. Whether you are living with cancer, or love someone with cancer, or work with people with cancer, we hope you’ll join us in our mission to give everyone access to integrative cancer care.

Please help us spread the word about CancerChoices.org by sharing the website with friends and colleagues, by connecting with us, and by sharing on Facebook, Twitter, and all your networks.

With gratitude,
Michael Lerner
President and Co-Founder, Commonweal