Esperance Family Foundation Supports Integrative Medicine

The Department of Family Medicine received a generous gift from the Michigan-based Esperance Family Foundation to support the University of Michigan Integrative Medicine (UMIM) program.

The Esperance Family Foundation Integrative Health Fund will support two particular areas within UMIM. The first, the Faculty Scholars Program, is a year-long, multi-disciplinary program in integrative health care that provides academic faculty from various departments and disciplines with the opportunity to explore the theoretical principles, clinical practices and evidence related to complementary, alternative and integrative therapies. During the year, program participants take responsibility, with mentoring, for developing an

The fund also will support exploratory outcome-based research in alternative practices (mind-body practices such as meditation and energy healing) for children and adults who suffer from anxiety, traumatic stress, depression and other mental-health challenges.

"This gift is so vital to faculty for their professional development," said Rita K. Benn, Ph.D., director of education of UMIM. "As faculty explore complementary, alternative and integrative therapies and apply their knowledge to teaching, research and clinical care in their own field of expertise, students and patients will benefit and faculty will feel renewed. This gift enriches the academic environment in multiple ways."

University of Michigan Integrative Medicine is committed to the thoughtful and compassionate integration of complementary therapies and conventional medicine through the activities of research, education, clinical services and community partnerships.

The Esperance Family Foundation provides support, inspiration and progress in the areas of human potential, health and the environment. In the specific area of human health, one goal of the foundation is to provide awareness of different therapeutic approaches and to challenge conventional practitioners to work with complementary and alternative practitioners to facilitate integrative medical practice and ultimately help humankind.

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