By Katie Curley Katzman
Kathleen Brittan classifies herself as a "non-groupy." She's not one to join clubs or support groups, but as she battled breast cancer, Brittan found solace and healing in a yoga class.
"I had been treated for breast cancer, but it had taken me about a year and a half to get to the point where I thought maybe it might be helpful to go to a class," Brittan said. "I always tried to keep my chin up, but you can't deny it. You can't deny the emotional side of it."
Finally, a familiarity with one of the instructors plus a final push from a neighbor brought her to a yoga class for people fighting cancer led by Rose Russo and Joanne Rowley at the Yoga Center of Newburyport.
"I decided not to continue to have this stiff upper lip and went to class," Brittan said. "It was heart warming the reception from Joanne and Rose; (they were) gracious and welcoming."
Brittan is just one of many women who have turned to yoga as a way to heal and empower themselves while going through cancer.
The three-hour intensives offered locally by instructors Russo and Rowley are designed for the newly diagnosed cancer patient as well as those in treatment and recovery; no prior yoga experience is required.
Russo and Rowley are strong believers in the mind-body connection.
"We hope to move (patients) into a place where healing can begin," Russo said. "It's a shift in perspective. Sometimes there is this feeling with cancer that your body has betrayed you. We are hoping to help people reconnect in a positive way and form a different relationship with their body."
Russo called on her own mind-body connection during her two bouts with breast cancer. Following her mastectomy, she was dragged to a yoga class with a friend. Her friend ended up not liking yoga, but Russo was hooked and discovered it was a way to open up her body and regain her strength."
"I found it transformative," Russo said. "Part of my journey was recognizing, through yoga, I can connect with my body."
Later, Russo tossed around the idea of offering a yoga class geared especially at those fighting cancer. It was after she met Rowley, a holistic nurse and therapist with more than 20 years experience teaching and practicing yoga, that things started coming together.
Rowley touts the physical and spiritual effects of yoga, which is based in large part on breathing.
"Practicing yoga enhances immune and nervous systems, flexibility of joints and spine and elicits a relaxation response," she said.
Like Brittan, two-time cancer survivor Lisa Thorn accompanied a friend with cancer to a yoga class, believing the woman would benefit. While Thorn had practiced yoga before, she said she did not know what to expect, given everyone in the room would be a "cancer warrior" — a term she prefers over survivor because she said cancer made her more thoughtful about herself, others and life.
"The class brought me as much joy as it did my friend," Thorn said. "It helped me to re-evaluate the importance of everything. I feel blessed in my life to be living through cancer twice. I am blessed to have family and friends in my life to support me through it."
While Brittan practiced yoga for 20 years off and on before enrolling in one of the workshops for those living with cancer, she says the program did more good than she originally expected. She said Rowley and Russo were able to usher her through processing what she had gone through in a wonderful way. And knowing Rowley is in the medical field and that Russo is a cancer survivor made her more comfortable.
"There is a lot of power in a room with women who have gone through or are going through similar experiences," Brittan said. "It is a warm, comforting, supportive environment. The practice is all about support, life giving and nourishing."
Thorn said the gentle, welcoming class allowed her to realize those living with cancer are united. She said she was able to replace the fear and avoidance of support groups with compassion and prayer.
"The class allowed me to let go of cancer guilt and thought for a few lovely moments," Thorn said. "I then realized that it doesn't matter what type of cancer through which you or anyone else lives, because cancer unites us all, sisters and brothers, in our journey."
Each workshop starts with setting an intention for the yoga practice. Participants are welcome to share where they are with their illness. During one recent session, students were asked to state their intentions to an alter set up in the middle of the group's circle. As they did, they were invited to take an acorn — the seed of their new hope and learning.
"It's ritual based," Rowley said. "Part of yoga is helping people create a sacred space for it."
Both Rowley and Russo said through meditation, imagery and relaxation, they work on teaching people to be able to relax within themselves during the hardest of times.
"Everyone's journey is different," Rowley said. "Everyone is at a different place in the process."
A pose against cancer
The next yoga workshop for those living with cancer takes place Saturday, Dec. 12, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Yoga Center of Newburyport, 12 Maple St., Newburyport. A $10 donation is suggested. Class size is limited and registration is required. Contact instructors Joanne Rowley at 978-463-9318 or ritamb@comcast.net or Rose Russo at 978-465-2998 or pathways-rose@comcast.net.
Rowley is also teaching "Rest and Renew," a restorative poses class, on Friday, Dec. 11, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.; registration is required. Russo also teaches a variety of yoga classes weekly at the Yoga Center. Visit www.newburyportyoga.com for details.
Russo and Rowley will be offering classes through the Newburyport Adult Education program starting in January as well. Visit www.newburyportadulted.org.
