GARDEN CITY, NY ­ According to author Nancy Dahm ­ a Registered Nurse specializing in cancer care ­ ancient wisdom can be as useful for those suffering from cancer as modern treatments and drugs.  Author of MIND, BODY & SOUL:  A Guide to Living With Cancer, Dahm is blazing new trails in the field of cancer patient care, and lifting spirits in the process.  Her unique approach to patient care includes a heavy dose of ancient philosophy to help patients find hope for the future and peace of mind.

“Cancer is a life-changing disease, but it need not decimate the spirit, and can never infect the soul,” says Dahm.  “Ironically, in caring for hundreds of patients ­ many facing terminal prognosis-- I came to appreciate the inherent majesty of life.  The way we approach illness and death from a philosophical perspective can mean the difference between loss of hope, or facing adversity with dignity, peace and confidence.

Dahm’s book, widely praised both nationally and internationally, includes sections devoted to philosophical discussions based on the teachings of ancient philosophers including Socrates, Plato, Marcus Aurelius and Cicero.  Citing discourses and treatises on mortality, grief, afterlife, and the essence and meaning of life, Dahm weaves a unique tapestry of philosophical opinion with particular relevance to those suffering physically and emotionally.

“In much of ancient philosophy we find an enlightened and empowering view of life,” notes Dahm.  “I’ve tried to harness some of this philosophical power in my book and present it in a way that patients can both relate to, and discover hope and comfort.”

“Whatever their religion or belief system, patients need to know they are not isolated beings, and that they are indeed part of the whole of creation with purpose, meaning, and destiny,” adds Dahm.  “I want them to open their minds to the possibilities of life, and see themselves within the greater context of the magnificent human experience, through which we are all connected.  If they can do this, cancer will not come to define them; will not become their identity, and the possibilities are indeed endless.”

A sample of the philosophy Dahm invokes includes the following selection from Cicero’s On the Republic ­ Scipio’s Dream (51 B.C.):

“Strive on indeed, and be sure that it is not you that is mortal, but only your body.  For that man whom your outward form reveals is not yourself; the spirit is the true self, not that physical figure which can be pointed out by the finger.  Know, then, that you are a god, if a god is that which lives, feels, remembers, and foresees, and which rules, governs, and moves the body over which it is set, just as the supreme God, above us rules this universe.  And just as the eternal God moves the universe, which is partly mortal, so an immortal spirit moves the frail body.”

MIND, BODY & SOUL has been lauded as one of the first “cancer books” to combine practical resources and day-to-day advice for patients with extensive insights into the spiritual, emotional and philosophical aspects of both coping with and overcoming the disease.  Extensive teachings in the book include pain management, stress reduction, dealing with fear, hospice and in-home care, medications, and a chapter on answered prayers and miracles.

Dahm has cared for over 400 cancer patients during her nursing career, and developed her own model of pain management, “The Continuum of Pain ­ Continuum of Pain Control.”  MIND, BODY & SOUL has received positive reviews in newspapers around the globe, and was recently featured in the Los Angeles Times.

A popular radio and TV talk show guest, Dahm is one of the nation’s leading proponents of “person-centered” cancer care, and a passionate speaker on topics ranging from pain management, “whole person” healthcare, hospice care and patient rights. 

MIND, BODY & SOUL:  A Guide to Living With Cancer is available at major online booksellers including Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com, and can be ordered at all major stores.

For more information, visit www.cancerbook.com.

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