UNews - alternative medicine

Taking a Big-Picture Approach to Health Care

david.kirby — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 17:16:18 +0000

For Dr. Brenda Leung, getting sick as a child meant facing a somewhat daunting remedy: a foul-tasting, homemade herbal concoction prepared by her mother that was tough to swallow – but that ultimately did the trick.

Dr. Brenda Leung is the U of L's Faculty of Health Sciences Emmy Droog Chair in Complementary and Alternative Health Care.

“My mom would always brew these hideous teas, you know, noxious liquids, that I had to consume, but they always made me better,” Leung recalls.

That early introduction to traditional Chinese medicine not only helped treat Leung’s ailments, it ignited a lifelong interest in alternative health care and propelled her to study the field at university, train to become a naturopathic doctor (ND), and now, to be appointed the lead researcher and academic in this diverse and growing field at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Leung is the U of L’s new Faculty of Health Sciences Emmy Droog Chair in Complementary and Alternative Health Care. The $2 million endowed professorship is a first for the Faculty and is made possible through a $1 million gift from Alberta businessman Dr. Tom Droog (LLD í06), whose wife Emmy became an advocate for alternative health treatments during her three-year battle with cancer before succumbing to the disease in 2010.

“One of the main objectives of this five-year professorship is to create educational opportunities for health sciences students to integrate complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, strategies and modalities into their practice,” says Dr. Chris Hosgood, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

To that end, Leung is developing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s first courses on the subject that will be introduced in January 2015: Introduction to Complementary and Alternative Health Care, which will provide an overview of CAM therapies the public are using; and Evidence-Based Integrative Therapies, which will focus on the methodological rigour and scientific merit of therapies that have been more widely studied.

“Our graduates will see patients or clients already using some form of CAM, and who will come with questions about how they can incorporate CAM therapy into their current treatment. So I think it’s very important for graduates to have some base knowledge about what clients and patients may be using and how that may affect their care,” she says.

The position’s other priority is to establish an evidence-based research program that explores the issues and care practices associated with CAM. Leung’s plans in this area include supporting CAM practitioners to undertake research projects by mentoring and assisting with developing proposals, applying for grants and conducting studies. She also wants to establish the U of L as an international centre of study on CAM by developing partnerships with researchers in the field across Canada and worldwide. She continues to foster interdisciplinary collaborations with scientists from neuroscience, mental health, maternal and child health, and nutrition.

“I want to develop models and strategies, and determine how evidence from CAM research can be effectively implemented into health care,” Leung says. “We’re looking at the whole body, the mind/body connection, so in order for us to understand what’s going on, we need the experience and knowledge from different fields to get the big picture.”

When it comes to better understanding the approaches and benefits of holistic health care, Leung is more than up for the task. Her academic credentials include a PhD in epidemiology and an MSc in health research from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. She completed her ND at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. Prior to joining the U of L this past July, she was the director of research at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine, had taught at the Canadian Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and held various positions at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. She is currently a Research Fellow with the Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Technology, Sydney. She has numerous research papers and presentations to her credit, and has received multiple research grants.

Leung’s passion for CAM is fuelled by her innate interest in holistic and personalized health care, and its proactive approach of improving overall health. She’s far from alone: a 2007 report by the Fraser Institute found that in 2006, 74 per cent of Canadians had reported using at least one alternative therapy at least once in their lives. Her goal is to raise the profile of CAM research and provide viable health-care options for the public.

“Health care should be about the person, not just the disease,” Leung says. “I think Canadians want more control over their health, and more input into how to address their care.”

Dr. Brenda Leung appointed as Emmy Droog Chair in Complementary and Alternative Health Care

caroline.zentner — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 16:01:01 +0000

An established researcher with a comprehensive portfolio that covers the span of complementary and alternative health care (CAHC), Dr. Brenda Leung has been appointed as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Health Sciences Emmy Droog Chair in Complementary and Alternative Health Care.

Leung's five-year research plan at the U of L promises to take advantage of the multi-disciplinary expertise on campus.

The $2 million endowed Professorship is the first for the Faculty of Health Sciences, creating the opportunity for the Faculty to broaden its research and teaching in a unique discipline.

“This is a great opportunity to establish a research program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and I’m very excited at the possibilities it presents,” says Leung, who has been an adjunct assistant professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. “I plan to continue my research in the use of supplements and complementary and alternative therapies in mental health and other chronic conditions. This research is extremely relevant to the issues of public health, given the continuing rise of chronic diseases in Canada and other western countries.”

The Emmy Droog Chair in Complementary and Alternative Health Care is enabled by a gift of $1 million from southern Alberta businessman Dr. Tom Droog (LLD ’06). The award is named for Droog’s late wife, Emmy, who lost a long battle with cancer. Its focus is both to establish an evidence-based research program that explores the issues and care practices associated with complementary and alternative medicine and to create educational opportunities for nursing and health sciences students to integrate alternative and complimentary health into their practice.

“Dr. Leung is a wonderful addition to the outstanding faculty we have within health sciences, and the experience and knowledge she brings with her in the areas of complementary and alternative health care is substantial,” says Dr. Chris Hosgood, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences. “Nursing, addictions counseling and public health are naturally inclined to explore the use of alternative therapies and now we have the opportunity to fully develop expertise in these areas.”

Leung earned her bachelor of science undergraduate degree from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia before turning her focus to naturopathic medicine. She earned her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and then completed a master of science at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary where her thesis explored the use of naturopathic medicine in children. She obtained her PhD in Epidemiology, also from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary.

Her five-year research plan at the U of L promises to take advantage of the multi-disciplinary expertise on campus.

“My goal is to develop a program of research that is interdisciplinary and collaborative, involving scientists from neuroscience, mental health, maternal and child health, nutrition, as well as practitioners of CAHC,” she says.

In addition to incorporating CAHC courses into the curriculum, her work will also involve the mentoring of undergraduate students and eventually the recruitment of graduate students. As the research program evolves, Leung sees great potential in establishing the U of L as a hub for the study of complementary and alternative health care practices.

“We have the opportunity, with the diverse sector of researchers and stakeholders invested in this program, to become a leader in the field at the local, national and international level,” she says.

Droog gift establishes Chair in alternative health care

trevor.kenney — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 17:15:57 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Health Sciences will broaden its research and teaching horizons in a unique research discipline with the establishment of a $2 million endowment at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ – enabled by a gift of $1 million from southern Alberta businessman Dr. Tom Droog (LLD '06).

Droog's gift will allow the U of L to establish the Emmy Droog Chair in Complementary and Alternative Health Care – the Faculty's first endowed Professorship. The professorship will enable evidence-based research to explore the issues and care practices associated with complementary and alternative medicine.

"I believe in education and alternative healing and I'm happy to be able to support them both through this gift," says Droog, who received an Honorary Degree from the U of L in 2006. "I believe that ideas come from ideas and I think this has awesome potential."

Dr. Tom Droog sees amazing potential in the creation of a unique research discipline at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Mark Pijl Zieber, a Faculty of Health Sciences nursing researcher, says that complementary and alternative health hasn't always been complementary or alternative – at one time it was the norm. Even today, statistics show that more than 75 per cent of Canadians access complementary and alternative health care.

"Humans have been delivering health care throughout history, and before western medicine, these were the therapies people used," says Pijl Zieber. "It's only since the development of western medicine that traditional beliefs have been labeled alternative. While we certainly do benefit from the advances made by western medicine, we've lost many of the other options."

Pijl Zieber says that providing effective health care is not always about a cure, especially when considering chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.

"Sometimes these diseases can't be beaten, but they can, and need to be, managed – it's about maximizing a person's quality of life. This is at the heart of the Droog gift. It's not about abandoning the institution of western medicine, it's about facilitating a broader approach to health care."

The award is named for Droog's late wife, Emmy, who lost a long battle with cancer in 2010. Both originally from Holland, the couple met in Ontario and headed west in 1972 to take advantage of the opportunities offered in Alberta. They settled near Bow Island, Alta., and farmed for several years before founding Alberta Sunflower Seeds, Ltd., which grew over a 30-year period to become Spitz Sunflower Seeds, a popular North American snack food. Partners in everything, the Droogs worked together to build their business while raising two children: a daughter Christy (Droog) Strom (BN '03) is a U of L graduate in nursing who is a community care case manager at Lethbridge Community Care, and son Randy, who lives in Ontario. In 2008, the Droogs sold Spitz to PepsiCo.

Tom and his late wife Emmy established Spitz Sunflower Seeds and grew it into one of North America's top snack food companies.

Dr. Christopher Hosgood, the dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, is looking forward to the opportunities afforded by this significant gift, which will benefit all programs in the Faculty.

"Nursing, addictions counselling and public health at the U of L are naturally inclined to understanding alternative therapies, although we've never had the chance to fully explore some of those options. Thanks to Dr. Droog's gift, we can now develop expertise in these areas."

Hosgood adds that as the largest individual donation to health sciences programming at the U of L, Droog's gift represents a vote of confidence in the Faculty and helps set the stage for future growth.

"It is very encouraging for our Faculty to know that we have such a strong, committed individual working alongside us. We are honoured to have been chosen as the recipient of this gift and are committed to using the resources we've been entrusted with wisely," says Hosgood.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Dr. Mike Mahon says the gift will be a unique complement to existing health sciences programming and will help the U of L to better serve its students and the community.

"We are proud to have the opportunity to work with Tom and his family in developing this professorship, which we expect will further connect our university to the community through the various individuals and organizations offering alternative and complementary health-care solutions," says Mahon.

"The Emmy Droog Professorship in Complementary and Alternative Health Care is a wonderful tribute and shows Tom's commitment to educating the next generation of health-care professionals."

For Droog and his family, education is key.

"When doctors mention the word cancer, people stop listening," says Droog, who was devastated when his wife was diagnosed with the disease in 2007. Over the next three years, the couple worked together investigating various health-care options that would help improve Emmy's quality of life as she battled her illness.

As a health-care practitioner, Droog's daughter Christy Strom sees the benefits that training in many different health-care disciplines can provide.

"It's important to get this information into the mainstream," says Strom. "Some of the alternative and complementary treatments are very simple, the problem is they're expensive and not everyone has access to them. We also need to educate health-care professionals about alternative therapies so that they can better serve their patients."

The U of L will develop a position description for the Emmy Droog Professor in Complementary and Alternative Health Care, and begin a recruiting process that could see a person placed in the Faculty of Health Sciences in time for the Fall 2012 semester.

UNews - alternative medicine

Taking a Big-Picture Approach to Health Care

Related Topics

Dr. Brenda Leung appointed as Emmy Droog Chair in Complementary and Alternative Health Care

Related Topics

Droog gift establishes Chair in alternative health care

Related Content

Dr. Tom Droog - Emmy Droog Professorship in Complimentary and Alternative Health Care

Related Topics