Arnrid Wood
What contribution are herbalists making to the care of people suffering from Cancer
Abstract
Seven herbalists were interviewd to find out what work they were doing with cancer patients. This involved asking them to reflect on their work and to build up a picture of their contribution to cancer care. Three aspects were considered: Treatment of the cancer, help with side effects of conventional treatment, and palliative care.
Besides the herbs prescribed, other therapeutic strategies were considered: what other complementary therapies did the herbalists practise? What was their nutritional and lifestyle advice, and what was their attitude to supplements? The practitioners' relationship with orthodox medical personnel was discussed, as was the question of how work could be measured. Finally, herbalists were invited to outline their herbal philosophy. A qualitative narrative was compiled. While the number of cancer patients coming to herbalists was small, and some practitoners expressed a lack of confidence in the field of oncology, the work being done on an individual basis was valuable. herbal treatment of side effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery was particularly useful, and potential for growth was identified.
