Conference takes unusual look at disease

That concept is the basis for a conference on Saturday that is the first of its kind in Oregon for cancer survivors, their families and people concerned about the disease.

Cancer as a Turning Point: From Surviving to Thriving takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater, 23 S. Central Ave. More than 200 people had registered as of Thursday.

It is sponsored by Asante Community Development, a member of the Asante Health System. The conference is free. Lunch is optional and costs $10. Registration is required for lunch. For information, call 608-5025.

The conference features six speakers impressive for their knowledge, experience and creativity. Some of them are authors, performers and cancer survivors.

The one local speaker is Deanna Copeland of Grants Pass, who learned she had breast cancer in 1990 and competed in the Boston Marathon wearing a pacemaker.

Jan Adrian, 57, from Capitola, Calif., created the conference after her breast cancer was diagnosed in 1989.

The former psychiatric social worker was looking for ways to develop the healing abilities within herself, in addition to the traditional cures of radiation, chemotherapy and surgery.

She has organized seven such conferences in California, attracting up to 1,000 participants.

Her inspiration comes from the book "Cancer as a Turning Point" by Lawrence LeShon, a psychologist in New York who researched mind and body medicine on terminally ill cancer patients.

He found that focusing on what inspired his patients to keep living could cause the cancer to retreat into remission in 50 percent of patients, Adrian said.

This conference doesn't look at the latest treatments or high-tech cures, Adrian said, and focuses on healing rather than curing.