Classes & Events
Receive the support you need and learn helpful skills with health events, classes and educational programs at Mount Auburn Hospital Hospital.
Cancer Survivorship Day
Pathways to Hope and Resilience: Free Event for Cancer Survivors
Mount Auburn Hospital is hosting “Pathways to Hope and Resilience,” a free in-person event celebrating National Cancer Survivorship Day on Sunday, June 7, 2026, from 9:30 am – 2:30 pm. The event will be held at Mount Auburn Hospital.
The event is free but registration is required. Each attendee can sign up for two breakout sessions. The registration deadline is Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
If you have any questions about the Mount Auburn Hospital Cancer Survivorship Event, please email us.
Schedule of Events
- 9:30 am – 10:00 am: Registration
- 10:00 am – 10:55 am: Keynote Speaker
- 11:00 am – 11:50 am: Brunch
- 12:00 pm – 12:40 pm: Breakout Session One
- 12:45 pm – 1:25 pm: Breakout Session Two
- 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm: Survivor Panel/Closing Remarks
Guest Speaker: Dr. Beth Lown
Dr. Beth Lown has been interested in empathy, compassion, collaboration, and deepening the human connection in healthcare for many decades. This interest and commitment deepened over her many years of clinical practice and as a health professional educator and researcher
She recently retired as Chief Medical Officer of the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the relationships and advancing the wellbeing of patients, families, and healthcare workers. In this role, she participated in leadership, program and organizational development, and research.
Dr. Lown has spoken and taught nationally and internationally about empathy, compassion, and mitigating psychological distress through social support and relational leadership. She has taught communication and relational skills to health professionals across the continuum of learning for decades. She has served as president and board member of the Academy on Communication in Healthcare and on task forces and standard setting committees on communication skills for the U.S. National Board of Medical Examiners. She completed a fellowship in medical education and has co-led and led fellowships in medical education for faculty within the Harvard Medical School system. She’s also a published poet.
Breakout Sessions
Conversations & Connections
Session facilitated by Beth Loomis, MAH Chaplain and Jessica Yamas, Survivorship Committee
Come connect with fellow survivors in a supportive and welcoming space. Small group discussions and pairings with facilitators will support participants can share their journey of perseverance, followed by a larger group gathering where those who wish may share more broadly. This experience offers the chance to connect with new people and witness the many forms resilience can take. Guided questions will be provided, but at its core, this workshop is about building meaningful connections and honoring the courage it takes to move forward together.
Essentrics
Session led by Patty Tang
Patty Tang is a certified L1 Essentrics instructor who has practiced Essentrics since 2016. Patty is a music professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Essentrics is a full-body, dynamic stretching and strengthening workout that helps you move with ease at any age. Working every joint through its full range of motion, you build strength, improve flexibility, and achieve better posture. Whether you’re recovering from injury, staying active, or just want to feel more confident in your body, Essentrics helps you move freely, feel balanced, and stay pain-free. Patty strongly believes in the effectiveness of Essentrics in stretching and strengthening the body, improving posture, and alleviating pain and has been offering classes in our Wellness Program.
Gardening
Led by Staff from Waltham Fields Community Farm | Local Food. For Everyone.
We are excited to welcome Waltham Fields Community Farm to our Survivorship Day this year. Come experience gardening as a way to build resilience and support healing! In this session, we will get our hands in the soil and plant seeds to create window box planters that will grow Holy Basil in your home. Also known as Tulsi, Holy Basil is deeply rooted in Hindu culture and Ayurveda and is commonly used in Thai cuisine and herbal teas. Traditionally valued for supporting digestion and the immune system, this plant offers ongoing care and nourishment — beginning with the act of planting.
Please note this group will be held outdoors in our Mount Auburn Healing Garden.
Nutrition & Physical Therapy
Session facilitated by Cathy Duddy, PT & Shelby Uggen, RD
Fatigue can persist even after completing cancer treatment. Patients who are post-treatment or in remission should aim to improve their physical activity, strength, and promote nutrient dense diet choices. A Mount Auburn Physical Therapist, Cathy Duddy, will discuss how to maintain and avoid loss of function to combat cancer-related fatigue. We will demonstrate exercises and discuss strategies to improve daily activities and restorative sleep. Mount Auburn Registered Dietitian, Shelby Uggen, will discuss how eating whole foods and having a consistent intake can help to improve energy levels! We will review and discuss nutrient supplementation, meal timing, and hydration to reduce fatigue.
QI GONG
Session Led by Martha Oesch
Martha Oesch is a certified Level 1 & 2 Qi Gong Instructor. In the community, she works with people to support their health and healing movement. Qigong is an ancient Chinese health and wellness practice and can be done by anyone at any age and ability. This session introduces movements that support self-care and healing. Evidence-based research shows that Qigong supports positive effects on quality of life (QOL), fatigue, immune function and cortisol levels, and cognition for individuals with cancer. This session is designed to empower you to actively participate in your own self-care and renewal. Come join us as we nurture wellbeing!
Therapeutic Music Experiential Session
Led by Rebecca Strauss, Violist, Certified Music Practitioner (CMP) & Job Salazar, Violinist, Certified Music Practitioner (CMP)
Therapeutic music is an evidence-based healing modality recognized by the National Standards Board for Therapeutic Music for its ability to decrease physical and emotional pain, lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, relieve tension, and accelerate physical healing. In this therapeutic music session, you will be nurtured by the soothing vibrations of live acoustic music in a safe and supportive environment, giving you time to relax and breathe.
