The Westreich Foundation Donates $300,000 to The Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice

Funds support integrative therapies for San Diego Hospice patients

SAN DIEGO, June 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Westreich Foundation has donated $300,000 to The Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice, to support the further expansion of its Integrative Palliative Medicine Program for seriously ill patients and their families.

The use of integrative palliative medicine therapies provides diverse healing modalities, based on the philosophy of caring for the whole person, in order to improve quality of life at every stage of life. Integrative therapies can include Acupuncture, Hypnotherapy, Reiki and Healing Touch, Aromatherapy, Music Therapy, and Art Therapy.

"Integrative medicine has emerged as a potential solution to the American health care crisis," said Ruth Westreich, President and Founder of The Westreich Foundation. "It provides care that is patient-centered, healing oriented, emphasizes the therapeutic relationship, and uses therapeutic approaches originating from conventional and alternative medicine. For people living with a serious illness, it can transform the physical, spiritual, and emotional dimensions of their lives."

"We are extremely grateful for The Westreich Foundation gift, as it speaks to the power of integrative palliative medicine, which combines the discipline of modern science with the wisdom of ancient healing," noted Traci Bruckner, Chief Development Officer for the San Diego Hospice Foundation, the fundraising arm of The Institute for Palliative Medicine.

The Institute for Palliative Medicine's Integrative Palliative Medicine Program aims to facilitate comfort care and promote emotional and spiritual healing for San Diego Hospice patients and their families and caregivers. As one of the premier palliative medicine centers in the United States, The Institute for Palliative Medicine has been at the forefront of advancing the role of integrative medicine in care of those with advanced chronic and serious illness, as well as those at the end of life.

About The Westreich Foundation

The Westreich Foundation (www.thewestreichfoundation.org), founded by San Diego philanthropist Ruth Westreich, is committed to helping create a paradigm shift in the way medical care is delivered in this country. In addition to the Westreich Foundation's support of integrative therapies and palliative medicine nationally and locally, Mrs. Westreich is also a member of the prestigious Bravewell Collaborative, a national philanthropic collaborative furthering the cause of the integrative medical model of care, based in Washington D.C.

About The Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice

The Institute for Palliative Medicine (www.palliativemed.org) is committed to transforming healthcare and relieving suffering by improving the quality and accessibility of palliative care, through world-class innovative education programs, patient/family-centered research and evidence-based advocacy.  As one of the premier palliative medicine centers in the United States, The Institute for Palliative Medicine hosts the country's largest palliative medicine physician fellowship program and trains more than 4,000 healthcare clinicians and professionals annually in palliative medicine advances.

CONTACT: Melissa DelaCalzada
(619) 278-6139; [email protected]

SOURCE The Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice