Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.
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46 C A NCER FIGH T ER S T HR I V E | sUMMER 20 15 C A NCERFIGHTER S THRI V E .COM W hile the Pastoral Care Team at CTCA ofers general spiritual support, they recognize the value to patients of connecting with people from their specifc faith background. To make this possible, the team fosters relationships with spiritual leaders within the communities where CTCA hospitals are located—and contacts these people when patients request more-specialized support. "We are conscious of the fact that not everyone practices spirituality the same way, and by ofering access to diferent faiths we can individualize medicine," Rev. McCray says. "Tis includes helping patients access leaders from the Muslim, Jewish, Jehovah's Witness, Catholic and evangelical Christian communities and others if needed." Maintaining Ritual and Prayer Imam Amin Aziz frequently visits Muslim patients at CTCA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and they ofen have questions about how to maintain the ritual of praying fve times a day while in the hospital. Tis ritual directs Muslims to pray facing Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, frst standing and then kneeling prostrate. "I explain that people who are bed- bound can pray lying on one side or on the back," Imam Aziz explains. "I also tell them to remember to pray for their community, and their community will pray for them. Te prayers of the sick and the weak are answered, and we will pray that they get strong." When he visits a patient who would like prayer from the larger Islamic community, Imam Aziz notifes the 38 mosques within the Philadelphia area about the patient's need for healing. Te patient's name and need is then mentioned during the daily prayer times at the mosques. For hospitalized patients who are interested in participating in Muslim fasting traditions such as Ramadan, Imam Aziz encourages them to eat throughout the day to promote healing rather than eating only before dawn or afer sunset. Instead of fasting, they can participate by praying for others who are fasting, Imam Aziz says. He also ofers to perform acts of generosity on the patient's behalf as a way to encourage blessings from Allah. "For example, I may feed someone in the community in the name of the patient or arrange to pay for fve meals for people who come to a restaurant, and in this way the patients will receive the same blessings as the fasting community." Reconnecting with Faith Faith leaders within the community who work with CTCA agree that one critical element of the initial patient meeting is discerning a patient's level of connection to his or her faith. For example, if someone has not been actively involved in a Jewish synagogue for years, Rabbi David Rosenberg will start by asking questions about childhood memories related to Judaism. Some people have recollections of grandparents taking them to the synagogue or baking challah, explains Rabbi Rosenberg, the rabbi of Beth Emeth Congregation in Sun City West, Arizona. "WE ARE CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT NOT EVERYONE PRACTICES SPIRITUALITY THE SAME WAY, AND BY OFFERING ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FAITHS WE CAN INDIVIDUALIZE MEDICINE." REV. PERCY McCRAY