How to go
What: "The Age of Aquarius," the seventh-annual A Wear Affair luncheon and fashion show. Cancer survivors will model spring fashions provided by Get Dressed! in Oakwood, The Secret Ingredient in Kettering and Joli Boutique in Centerville.
When: Noon Feb. 27 (a Saturday). Doors open at 10:30 a.m. for shopping boutique.
Where: Sinclair Conference Center, Building 12, 444 W. Third St., Dayton
Admission: $50 individual, $600 table for 10
Proceeds: Support any cancer survivor who would like to attend the organization's weekend retreats and ongoing programing. The next retreat is slated for March 19-21, followed by 10 weeks of Thursday evening classes that will be held at One Lincoln Park in Kettering. Enrollment is limited.
For more info: www.noblecircle.org or (937) 674-5566
Facing a cancer diagnosis is a challenge for any human being. But thanks to the Miami Valley’s Noble Circle Project, women in our area can avail themselves of healing alternatives that supplement their traditional medical treatment.
For the past six years, the grass-roots organization — made up of cancer survivors — has been providing holistic support through nutrition, exercise and retreats. Because of its annual fundraiser — A Wear Affair — any woman facing cancer can attend both a weekend retreat and subsequent programs free of charge. This year’s luncheon is slated for Feb. 27.
Though the organization is not religion-based, faith and spirituality provide strength and comfort for many of the participants. Dayton psychologist Kathleen Bonie, who addresses Noble Circle groups and works with private clients, says many individuals seem to benefit from the support of their religious communities or more personal spiritual beliefs.
“A diagnosis of cancer can be life-altering because it causes individuals to confront their own mortality as well as examine their spiritual beliefs about the purpose and meaning of life,” Bonie says.
“I always honor whatever the faith practices are that my clients endorse, but I frequently help them clearly define and rely on their own spiritual beliefs to gain strength in coping with health challenges.”
She says sometimes after cancer treatment a woman can put the events of her life into better perspective and ignore minor daily irritations.
“She can find a greater sense of peace and trust in the natural flow of life, without resisting the uncontrollable annoyances,” she says.
Bonie says survivors who embrace a personal spiritual belief system often handle the uncertainty of their futures with less anxiety and depression.
She says research has suggested that many patients depend on religion, prayer, meditation and other practices to help them cope with their illness — and those who do may even live longer, healthier lives.
“Many studies in the field of psychoneuroimmunology, or mind-body health, have shown a relationship between calmness and an ‘attitude of gratitude’ with improved health,” says Bonie.
“Some of my clients with strong spiritual beliefs trust that by holding peace and appreciation in their hearts they can connect with the Divine Source of health and well-being. No matter whether the positive outcomes are purely biological or whether they are truly of a spiritual nature, they enjoy the physical and emotional health benefits.”
Members of the Noble Circle Project tell how faith has helped them cope
Judy Sara, Bellbrook
My life has forever been changed by the masses of people praying for my healing during those first few months following my diagnosis. Every Sunday morning I am blessed to join with the choir and orchestra at Fairhaven Church. I give thanks to God for saving my life and praising him for all past and all future. Through my singing, my heart and soul are so touched that many songs bring wells of tears to my eyes.
Carol Zennie, Kettering
I grew up in a Catholic family. At church and at home, we knelt to pray together. Our mother, Martha Stoff, was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 13 years old. I remember being angry with God about that, yet I never saw my mother angry because she had cancer. Instead, she continued to live a faith-filled life full of prayer, kindness and love for her family, friends and many others. I learned to rely on God and the Blessed Virgin Mary to help me through my teenage years and my mother’s valiant battle against cancer. She died from the disease five years later at age 57. My younger sister, Rita, died from breast cancer in 2007 at age 54, just four months after her diagnosis.
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 50, and again at age 56, though stunned, I never asked God, ‘Why me?’ I believe, as my mother did, that God’s plan for me is filled with His strength and mercy. Every day I pray, thanking God for all that He has given me. As we say at Noble Circle, “It’s all good!”
Nancy Cohen, Beavercreek
I converted to Judaism at age 40. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, my religious beliefs did not really play a big role in my response to my illness. There were times when I wished for the peace that some people seem to get from their religion. I have known people who told me that they felt protected by God; they felt that prayer was a very powerful way to help them get through their illness. They believed that if they let God take charge of their life, then everything would be OK. Honestly there were a few times when I was a little disappointed that my beliefs did not allow me to just let go and leave God in charge.
But what my religion and my religious beliefs gave me was something that was truly amazing. One of the core Jewish values is bikur cholim, or visiting the sick. Jews believe that it is our job to work as God's agents in the world to comfort and care for the sick. When I was first diagnosed, members of my congregation opened their hearts up to me. I can't begin to count the number of people who reached out to me and helped me to be strong during the most difficult days of my treatment. The words of encouragement, cards, e-mails, flowers and gifts were all a part of what made me feel that I was most definitely not alone in this experience. A whole team of friends cooked for me in the few days after each chemotherapy treatment when I was feeling my worst. All of those people were my angels, my messengers from God, who were helping me in the process of physical, spiritual and emotional healing.
Diane Butler-Hughes, Bellbrook
Through my 10-year journey with cancer, I’ve become keenly aware of how important faith and prayer is in my life and overall well being. When I was first diagnosed with an advanced form of the disease, I was so devastated that I had a difficult time praying. I was able to pray for others but not for myself. It was during that first year after my diagnosis when I truly began to believe in the power of prayer. Many people, those whom I had known my whole life and others whom I had never met expressed to me in a variety of different ways their prayers. Through phone calls, cards, prayer chains and the drawings from school children, I was able to actually feel that healing power — it’s what uplifted and sustained me through the darkest days.
My prayer life has evolved into a devotion to praying the Rosary. It is through the beautiful prayers of the Rosary when I feel most at peace. For myself, in practicing my faith I’ve learned that there are certain things that I can control when it comes to living with cancer, but I believe in my heart that the Lord is in ultimate control of my destiny. Even though I’ve had two recurrences of cancer that is now in its latest stage, I believe that God has and will continue to heal me — spiritually, emotionally and physically.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2440 or mmoss@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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