When Rita Tingle was diagnosed with cancer, she and her husband Bill suddenly entered a world they never expected. The medical care was excellent, but what truly steadied them was Dartmouth Cancer Center’s Complementary Care Program, funded by Prouty donors and offered free of charge to patients.
“The program’s been wonderful in bringing the world back into our lives,” Rita says. “You’re so isolated when you’re going through treatment and seeing doctors and not feeling very well. When you suddenly have a class to participate in, you’re alive again.”
The program offers a rich menu of options designed to heal body, mind, and spirit. Gentle yoga, tai chi, Qigong, guided meditation, stretching, and massage help to rebuild strength and ease tension. Art workshops, therapeutic music, and writing groups spark joy and creativity. Nutrition and cooking classes support healthy living at home. Counseling provides emotional grounding, while support groups offer a safe place where “everybody can come forward, speak and be seen,” Rita says.
Yoga and exercise left Rita the most relaxed and reenergized. “It’s really good to get people like me moving, particularly when you’re very housebound [from treatment],” she says.
As her caretaker, Bill adds that the social elements of the program were a major boon, too. “They’re good not just for body-building and the mind, but also relationship-building as well.”
The program offers a mix of online classes and in-person sessions. That combination, Rita and Bill say, eased their travel burden during Rita’s recovery, while still fostering sharing experiences with others in the program.
“The Complementary Care Program has been a lifeline for me and my family,” Bill says. “It’s more than just treatment; it’s care and support.”
Complementary Care Goes Mobile
Dartmouth’s volunteer-run Comfort and Art Carts bring small solaces directly to patients where they are—in infusion suites, waiting rooms and clinics. The Comfort Cart offers snacks, reading material and friendly visits from caring volunteers. The Art Cart also provides art and crafts kits to spark creativity. As part of the donor-funded Complementary Care Programs, these free services help nurture the imagination and human connection at every step of the cancer journey for patients and families.
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Mental Health Gets $1M Boost
Dartmouth Cancer Center plans visionary expansion of mental health care services for cancer patients, thanks to Prouty funding.
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Clinical Trial Offers
New HopeThis patient was the first to try a new treatment for a particularly aggressive type of breast cancer.
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Expanding
Dartmouth Cancer Center’s Impact