Clinical Study on the Effects of Tai Chi on Cancer Patients Now Open for Enrollment

Mercy North Cancer Center is looking for cancer patients who want to participate in a free clinical study on the effects of tai chi on pain, stress, blood pressure and blood oxygen levels.

Interested participants need to attend 16 tai chi sessions held weekly on Tuesday and Thursday with the approval of their attending physician. The tai chi sessions will be held from 5:45-7:15 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning on March 22, 2011. Mercy North Cancer Center will provide initial and post screenings for the patients as well as providing medical oversight during the 16 sessions of the clinical study. Preference will be given to present or past patients of Mercy Cancer Centers and Mercy Infusion Centers. There is no charge for the tai chi sessions or medical screenings. Patients will not receive any compensation for participating in the study.

To participate in the clinical study, patients must be 18 years of age by March 15th and understand English directions.

Tai chi is sometimes described as "meditation in motion" because it promotes serenity through gentle movements, which connect the mind and body. Originally developed in ancient China for self-defense, tai chi evolved into a graceful form of exercise that's now used for stress reduction and to help with a variety of other health conditions.

The program is a self-paced system of gentle physical exercise and stretching performed through a series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion.

Registration for the clinical study is available by calling Marla Thode, the Mercy Wellness Nurse Navigator, at 1-877-599-WELL (9355).

Published February 11, 2011