DFCI Zakim Center

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  • Description: fLoW is an educational and interactive drop-in virtual class designed to help patients manage lymphedema, lymphedema risk (lymph node removal and/or radiation) or generally support the lymphatic system by engaging in self-massage techniques and yoga. The instructors for this class are Maria “Bambi” Mathay, LMT, BCTMB, RMT and Barbara “Babz” Jackson Tobin, OTR/L, CLT-LANA, CYT. 
    Is this class for me? This class is suitable for all patients who have lymphedema, lymphedema risk (lymph node removal and/or radiation), or a history of lymphedema. Modifications will be provided. What’s the structure of fLoW? Virtual 50-minute drop-in classes include instruction in general lymphatic massage and drainage, and a 30-minute yoga practice. Livestream classes can only be accessed by Dana-Farber patients. However, they will be recorded for future viewing and available to the general public on YouTube and MyZakim. Classes meet on the third Friday of each month from 3:00—4:00 PM ET. How do I regi...
  • Description: If you work at a desk or computer for long stretches of time, you might place excessive strain on certain muscles like your neck and shoulders. Muscle tightness in your neck, shoulders and chest muscles can also cause neck pain and poor posture. In this short video our yoga instructor, Juliana Berfield, PhD, E-RYT 500, CPT will guide you through some neck & shoulder stretches to help loosen your muscles and bring relief. Feel free to explore small movements and to hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.  This video is part of a 2-part series for all levels. 
     Part 1 – Seated or standing. 

     Part 2 – On a mat using massage balls
  • Description: If you work at a desk or computer for long stretches of time, you might place excessive strain on certain muscles like your neck and shoulders. Muscle tightness in your neck, shoulders and chest muscles can also cause neck pain and poor posture. 
    In this short video our yoga instructor, Juliana Berfield, PhD, E-RYT 500, CPT will guide you through some neck & shoulder stretches to help loosen your muscles and bring relief. Feel free to explore small movements and to hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.  This video is part of a 2-part series for all levels. 
     Part 1 – Seated or standing. 

     Part 2 – On a mat using massage balls (release on 7/22/24)
  • Description: You don’t need to take much time with this full body workout! Nancy Campbell, MS, guides you through a short warm-up, along with upper/lower body movements and a core strengthening exercise. You can do the exercises in this video once, or you can repeat this circuit 2-3 times for a longer workout. 
    You will need a chair and dumbbells. If you don’t have dumbbells available, try soup cans or water bottles.
  • Description:
    Explore how expressive arts can support relaxation to help you feel better and connect with others in the Dana-Farber community.

    Participants will learn about the benefits of the expressive arts and engage in a multisensory experience to begin or add to a personalized self-care practice. No arts experience necessary! All expressive arts experientials will be presented in accessible formats that can be easily integrated into moments of creative self-care throughout the day.

    This workshop is hosted especially for Dana-Farber patients with metastatic breast cancer. Materials will be provided free of charge. Please register by June 18th to receive your materials in the mail.

    E-mail the Zakim Center (zakim_center@dfci.harvard.edu) today to register, and include your current mailing address.
  • Description:
    Ting Bao, MD, MS, was working in a Washington, D.C.-based acupuncture clinic after her junior year in college when she first saw up close how much this ancient Chinese practice – as well as herbal supplements – could help individuals during cancer treatment. The experience made a deep impression on Bao, as did something several clinic patients confided in her. 

    This was the late 1990s, when acupuncture, herbal supplements, and other integrative therapies like Reiki and meditation were offered in very few United States health-care centers. The patients were frustrated, they told Bao, by the lack of knowledge among oncologists about the potential benefits of these modalities in easing treatment-related pain, nausea, and other cancer-related side-effects. 

    “Patients just had to find and try integrative therapies on their own while their doctors focused on giving them chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery,” recalls Bao. “They said they needed guidance.” 

    In that ...
  • Description: In this episode, Christina Conte, RDN, LDN, nutritionist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, explores the link between grilled food and cancer risk, offering practical tips for healthier grilling. Learn why choosing lean meats like skinless chicken and fish, using vinegar or lemon-based marinades, and opting for smaller cuts, can help reduce your exposure to cancer-causing chemicals. Plus, discover the benefits of grilling vegetables, which is a safer alternative due to their lower protein content. 
    00:00 Introduction and General Risk 00:24 Recommendations for Grilling Meat 00:46 Limit Time on the Grill 00:57 Grill Vegetables

  • Description: This quick chair-based strength class led by Juliana Berfield, PhD, E-RYT 500, CPT will help you get your body moving in a healthy way, and build muscle. You can do the exercises in this video once, or you can repeat 2-3 times or pair it with lower body exercises for a longer workout. 
    You will need a chair, preferably one with no arms. If you don’t have dumbbells available, try soup cans or water bottles.