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3rd Section
www.emconline.ca
Certified cancer coach offers sessions in Perth beginning March 26 By CAITIE McRAE
EMC News – Not everyone can make a positive out of their personal hardships. But Michelle Thibodeau has done just that. Thibodeau, 53, is a registered holistic nutritionist in Stittsville, something she pursued after stints as an administrative assistant and personal trainer. At first glance, some would say her inspiration must have been her healthy, active lifestyle. But it wasn’t. It was her husband, Ottawa firefighter Patrick Thibodeau, who succumbed to brain cancer in 2006 after battling harder against the disease than any flames he ever fought. After his death, she was perusing through emails from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, the institute where she obtained her certification, when she spotted it: a newsletter about the National Association of Professional Cancer Coaches. And that’s when Thibodeau decided to become a cancer coach. “When my husband was ill, we were constantly weighing our options, deciding which treatment approach to take,” Thibodeau said. She adds that Patrick was far from the stereotypical coach potato male. He was a firefighter, after all; a fit, healthy eater who understood the importance a healthy lifestyle has on the immune system. Likening that sentiment, Thibodeau decided to combine her expertise in nutrition with her own experience with cancer. But it’s far from a simple personal endeavor. Thibodeau says it’s filling a void in Ottawa’s healthcare. “I’d say 95 per cent of doctors aren’t trained in nutrition,” she said. When asked if it should be mandatory for nutrition courses to be implemented in medical schools, she affirmed they “absolutely” should, adding that having a strong immune system is the pivotal requirement for preventing, and defeating, diseases like cancer. This can be done, according to Thi-
bodeau, through proper nutrition and lifestyle changes. After five days of intensive work at the Maplesoft Centre in Ottawa, Thibodeau completed her training to become a certified cancer coach. The training program, started originally by a nutritionist, involved learning specific protocols for dealing with cancer scenarios. A grueling treatment like chemotherapy, for instance, is widely known for its debilitating side effects, something Thibodeau said greatly compromises a cancer victim’s immune system and ability to fight off the disease. In this case, many are left sicker than they were before. But Thibodeau isn’t ignorant to the agonizing pain and horrors cancer victims can suffer through on a daily basis. She just suggests there are better remedies than the accepted approach. Her son Sean, 29, was diagnosed with melanoma in June 2011. After inhospital chemotherapy, he continued the intensive treatments from home, but had to stop. “He was feeling like crap,” Thibodeau said. “He was too tired to do anything, wasn’t able to see his friends or go out at all.” He decided to give up on chemo (“Entirely his choosing,” Thibodeau said) and soon after she completed her training as a cancer coach. Sean was open to holistic treatments, so she decided to put what she learned into action. Sean had a PET (positron emission tomography) scan two weeks ago. He’s cancer free. Thibodeau attributes the good news to her son changing his eating habits from that of a typical twenty-something-year-old to being more conscious of his meals, lifestyle and adopting healthier eating habits. The National Association of Professional Cancer Coach’s training program is only three-years-old but has since grown to attract other profession-
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Stittsville nutritionist Michelle Thibodeau will be offering cancer coaching sessions at Lotus Wings holistic centre in Perth, beginning March 26. Thibodeau is the only certified cancer coach in Ottawa. als in the health field, from physicians to psychiatrists. “More people are looking into it because they want to get better, not be made sicker,” she said. Echoing Thibodeau’s theories on strengthening the immune system through natural means is Denise Carpenter-Ducharme, a Reiki master and co-owner of Lotus Wings holistic centre in Perth. Battling lupus and chronic food al-
lergies, Carpenter-Ducharme turned to exercise, diet and vitamins as a way to ease her symptoms. It helped. But when she began practicing Reiki, the difference was like night and day. “The healing was exponential,” she said. Seventeen years later, CarpenterDucharme is still dedicated to Reiki and practices a holistic approach to life, maintaining that Lotus Wings be a
cooperative wellness facility. “We have practitioners doing everything from massage therapy to esthetics to Reiki,” she said. And because of that, Lotus Wings is opening its doors to Michelle Thibodeau and her cancer coaching sessions for the public. A non-profit community program, Thibodeau will be conducting these sessions over the course of three Tuesdays, beginning March 26. “It just fit perfectly,” CarpenterDucharme said, in regards to letting the center host Thibodeau’s sessions. “Of course we can do this. This is something we can give back to the people this impacts.” To register in advance for the sessions, go to Thibodeau’s website at www.nuhealings.com. Carpenter-Ducharme applauds Thibodeau’s cancer coaching, saying “If I was ever diagnosed with cancer, I’d use Michelle’s approach.” Both women are hopeful that holistic healing will become a more accepted route as the years go on. Thibodeau theorizes that any skepticism comes from people not caring enough about their health until they realize they don’t have it. “A lot of people don’t value their lives as much as they should,” Thibodeau said. While the cancer coaching sessions for the public are for a limited time, Thibodeau does private coaching as well. She’s the National Association of Professional Cancer Coaches’ only certified coach in Ottawa and her coaching consists of 18 hours and follow up sessions once a month for up to five years. Asked what her late husband Patrick would think of her endeavours, she’s cheerful in her response. “I think he’d be very, very happy for me,” she said assuredly. Caitie McRae is an Algonquin College journalism student who is currently undertaking a placement at the EMC.
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THE EMC - 41 - Thursday, March 21, 2013
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