In her article “Art Informs Medicine,” Medical Humanist and CCM founder Celia Engel Bandman recounts the conversations she had—in her medical humanist capacity—with a prominent artist diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer.

“Narrative Based Medicine: Potential, Pitfalls and Practice,” published in The Permanente Journal (Winter 2009) highlights the medical humanist communication model. The authors, Drs. Vera Kalitzkus and Peter Matthiessen, write that “A narrative approach to medicine will only succeed if ultimately it has a positive effect on daily practice instead of just adding to the already […]

CCM founder Dr. Bernard Bandman was interviewed about communication with healthcare providers; self-advocacy; and “survivorship as opportunity” for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s “Living Well Beyond Cancer” video series. Dr. Kenneth Miller, Director of the Lance Armstrong Survivorship Program at Dana Farber, interviewed leading experts on issues that survivors face as they transition from active […]

Celia Engel Bandman’s discussion of her medical humanist work, “A Medical Humanist Says Goodbye,” which originally appeared in the July 9, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), was cited by Dr. John Launer in the October 2008 issue of the London-based Postgraduate Medical Journal. In his article, “Learning Humanity,” Launer […]

CCM’s Executive Director, Dr. Bernard Bandman, is serving on the Education and Awareness Committee at the Alliance for Quality Psychosocial Cancer Care. Formed to advance the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine’s 2008 report on “Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Healthcare Needs,” the alliance is composed of healthcare professionals and advocacy groups […]

CCM founders co-authored an article highlighting the perspectives of the four patients featured in their award-winning Advanced Cancer video. The article covers these patients’ thoughts on such subjects as: the impact of illness on their sense of self; family relationships; expectations of doctors; barriers to communication; spiritual issues; and issues surrounding death and dying.

CCM worked in conjunction with Northeast Public Radio to produce the “Voices of Cancer” radio segment, featuring three cancer patients discussing their experiences of illness. The piece was selected to air as one of the best programs of 2007 from National Public Radio’s “The Health Show.”

“I often ask myself where did I go wrong in not appreciating what that patient wanted from me,” reflects physician Frederick Loy, one of several doctors who discuss their experience at CCM’s Doctors’ Conversation Hour in Vermont Public Radio’s piece on “The Human Side of Doctoring.” Listen here.

CCM founders Celia Engel Bandman and Bernard Bandman appeared with oncologist Dr. Lidia Schapira on NPR’s ”The Health Show” to discuss barriers to communication between doctors and patients, as well as their experience implementing a “Medical Humanist” program at a regional cancer center, where Ms. Bandman worked to integrate effective communication into day-to-day medical practice.