Valley Medical Center will host a free conference titled, “Cancer as a turning point: from surviving to thriving”.

The conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 and is being presented in cooperation with Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center and Healing Journeys, a national non-profit organization whose mission is to support healing, activate hope and promote thriving for anyone touched by cancer or a life-altering illness.

The full-day conference aims to differentiate between curing the body and healing the person, to explore illness as an awakening with transformative potential, to rekindle hope and motivation to live fully in the present, to rediscover the healing capacity of the human spirit and to facilitate healing from within as an essential component of total health.

Stories, music and laughter, group support, diet and nutrition will be incorporated into the program to ensure an entertaining and lively event.

“Caring for the whole person and their support network is very important to those of us in cancer services at Valley Medical Center,” said Ginny Concannon, oncology nurse navigator at Valley. “We are very pleased to host this free conference as a way of honoring, inspiring and supporting the whole person and the important people in their lives.”

Presenters at the conference will be author, minister and therapist Wayne Muller, Jonna Tomases, actress and three-time cancer survivor, Kimberly Mathai, a nutritionist and author, Shaina Noll, a singer and songwriter and One World Taiko, a professional Japanese drum ensemble.

For information or to register call 800-423-9882 or visit www.healingjourneys.org.