The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey recently granted $6,000 to the Valerie Center at Goryeb Children’s Hospital for integrative medicine (IM) sessions for outpatients. Atlantic Health already supports IM services for children and their families as inpatients. The grant will extend massage, reflexology, Jin Shin Jyutsu, acupressure, energy therapies and healing touch during patients’ four-hour chemotherapy sessions.
“Their faces light up when they see us. It passes the time for them in a comforting way,” says Integrative Medicine Coordinator Carole Reifsnyder, RN. “Even the very young ones pull their socks and shoes off and put their feet right up in my lap.”
Pictured: Carole Reifsnyder, RN, holds patient Leah Ghiraldeli flanked by the Healthcare Foundation's Marsha Atkind and Natalie Peck