Holiday Cheer in Trying Times

By Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO
AANP Past-President (2008-2009)

Photo by CCAC North Library via Flickr, used
under the Creative Commons License.

‘Tis the season to be jolly! … A whole season to be full of joy, conviviality, glee and laughter.  I reflect on that as I think about two patients. One is an extremely vivacious, fast-talking, go-and-get-‘em young woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She concluded integrative therapy early this Fall. She felt great and her motivation to continue to live healthfully was strong. She even took her mile-a-minute self into a Tai Chi class and is learning to love the peaceful gracefulness of this exercise. And then, a follow-up scan just before Thanksgiving found several new tumors in her liver.  Just after Thanksgiving, she began a new round of chemotherapy. She understands that her that her prognosis is guarded and yet, her jolliness has not diminished in the least. She ends every email with a salutation of love and gratitude. She wishes her providers good health and happy Holidays. Her sense of exuberance in daily living continues to reverberate in her being.

President's Message: A Final Farewell

By Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc

AANP President

Winter is upon us as I write this, my last blog as AANP President. It is a time for drawing inward, reflection and preparation for growth as well as new things to come as the light begins to return and Spring is right around the corner. We see this season reflected in our microcosm of the AANP, with our Executive Director of the past nine years having moved on, Board members departing (Thank you so much, Trevor Holly Cates and Corey Resnick!), Helen Healy finishing her term as HoD Speaker, and other changes in AANP staff. It is truly a time of great change and with that change comes challenges and opportunities.

AANP's renewal is already taking shape, like an early Spring thaw. Terri Deerr has stepped into the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) and will manage the association during the interim period as we seek our next ED. Michael Cronin takes the reins of AANP President on January 1st and brings vigor, passion and new ideas for moving the AANP and profession forward. Bruce Milliman is stepping up as the next HoD Speaker, and the Board welcomes new member Michelle Simon. 

As I like to say, "Change is the order of the Universe." I believe these changes are timely and I'm optimistic about the growth and future of the AANP. We must embrace change if we are to adapt and grow.