On August 17, My Cancer Place is hosting a teleconference with Dr. Bernie Siegel who will be discussing how to be an exceptional cancer patient and the healing journey of a cancer survivor. Listeners will be able to call in and ask questions.

Siegel, who prefers to be called Bernie, one of the world's foremost physicians, best-selling authors, and motivational speakers, is a compassionate, caring and loving advocate for individuals who want to take an active role in their own healing process, founded Exceptional Cancer Patients, ECaP, in 1978.

ECaP's philosophy holds that life is to be celebrated, everyone's healing journey is unique, health and healing are a process, we are all teachers and students, we are here to learn and share our experiences, and love heals.

If you cannot attend the teleconference, the recorded conference will be posted at My Cancer Place.

One of the first books I read after my breast cancer diagnosis was issued in hardback in 1986 -- 20 years ago -- and then was published again and reissued and reprinted in 1990, 1998, and 2002.While the cover has changed and perhaps some wording too, the message in this book -- Love, Medicine, & Miracles by Bernie S. Siegel, M.D. -- remains unchanged.  And it is inside the covers of this book that I keep learning that I have the capacity and power to become an exceptional patient -- despite the fact that I've been faced with a life-shattering diagnosis of cancer.

The doctor tells you that you have cancer. Most likely, one of the first things you want to know is how good -- or bad -- your chances are for surviving the cancer. If you do not ask, you will be told when the combination of recommended treatments are discussed with you. It's all about percentages. But what do percentages really mean for you personally? Not much. Cancer is a complex disease, with an equally complex outcome. At this point, you have two choices. You can give up -- feeling like cancer is a death sentence -- or you can decide to believe that your chances are as good as the best predicted percentages ever given to a cancer patient. I really like Deepak Chopra's example of statistics when he compared them to the weather. "If the average temperature in New York City for the year is 54 degrees Fahrenheit, that does not inform me what the temperature is just now or today. Similarly if you are a citizen of Bangladesh and the average income of a Bangladeshi happens to be $65 per household per year, that does not tell me what your personal income is if you happen to be a Bangladeshi."

Steps For Living and Art of Survivorship Matthew Zachary and Adam Dachman will be guests on Dr. Bernie Siegel's radio program, Mind Health Medicine, hosted by Positive Radio Network, on May 2 at 9am PST. Zachary, a long-term brain cancer survivor, and founder of Steps For Living and Art of Survivorship, and Dr. Adam Dachman, surgeon, accomplished pianist, composer and singer/songwriter both work to raise awareness for the special issues facing cancer survivors and bring resources to the cancer survivorship community with art and music. Art of Survivorship supports and features artists and musicians who are cancer survivors. If you are unable to listen to the show when it airs, you will be able to  find it listed in the Mind Health Medicine radio program archives.

One of the Visionary Celebrity Series radio programs that HealthyLife.Net Positive Radio Network hosts is Mind Health Medicine with Bernie Siegel. Dr. Siegel, who prefers to be called Bernie, one of the world's foremost physicians, best-selling authors, and motivational speakers, is a compassionate, caring and loving advocate for individuals who want to take an active role in their own healing process. Bernie created a sanctuary of resources and retreats based upon the science of mind-body-spirit medicine when he founded Exceptional Cancer Patients, ECaP -- where people facing the challenges of cancer and other chronic illnesses can discover and celebrate the potential of balance, inner peace and wholeness.

On the first Tuesday of every month, at 9am PST, listeners to the live radio program can call in and ask Bernie's advice on personal issues regarding health and healing. The HealthyLife.Net mission description reads, HealthyLife.Net is dedicated to providing all-positive radio programs to expand your mind, help your health and lift your spirit - without sensationalism and very little controversy. Our mission is to help eliminate fear, advance positive thought and encourage the concept that we are all one - here for the greater good of all. Exactly the kind of work Bernie has been doing for years. Sounds like a perfect match. If you cannot listen to the live radio program, the shows are archived for listening at your convenience.