CHARLOTTE MAXWELL CLINIC
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Mission Statement
Charlotte Maxwell Clinic's mission is to provide San Francisco Bay Area low-income women with cancer the opportunity for improved health outcomes and quality of life by providing free access to compassionate, integrative care. The Oakland-based women's clinic was founded in 1991 by a dedicated group of medical and complementary health practitioners in memory of Ms. Charlotte Maxwell, a forward-thinking social worker and public health professional, who recognized the importance of integrative care in cancer treatment and the disparity in access to those treatments for low-income women. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on top of the over 100,000 existing cancer survivors in the primary SF Bay Area counties CMC serves (i.e. Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco counties), over 10,000 women are diagnosed with cancer each year. An estimated 65% of these women live in poverty. Poor women have a higher incidence of several cancers and lower survival rates. They lack access to life-saving integrative care because the treatments are rarely covered by insurance and too costly for women in poverty. CMC's service provision rests on the belief that every woman should have access to integrative care to help them manage the symptoms of traditional cancer treatment, no matter their race, economic ability, sexual orientation/identification, immigration status, or language.
About This Cause
Charlotte Maxwell Clinic (CMC) has provided free access to integrative care for thousands of women without the means to pay for it otherwise. Integrative care combines effective and safe complementary therapies, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy, massage/bodywork, guided imagery, exercise, and nutrition education, with standard medical treatment to optimize the body's natural healing capacity. These evidence-based modalities offer relief from the effects of cancer and its treatment while contributing to improved quality of life and rates of survival. Here's what a breast cancer survivor said recently about her service: "When I go into Charlotte Maxwell Clinic, I prepare myself to have a wonderful day. It gives me a sense of calmness, sense of serenity--such compassion. I've been cancer free for two years and now experience a lot of joy! I couldn't have done this without Charlotte Maxwell Clinic.” However, these integrative modalities generally are not covered by insurance, nor are the costs reimbursable by the government. CMC services are made possible by a small, dedicated staff and dozens of volunteers that include licensed and certificated practitioners and program support who generously serve in a variety of roles. CMC receives referrals from medical centers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area as well as self-referrals. Serving women with all types of cancer, CMC provides 1-on-1 in-person treatment and support at its clinic as well as provides telehealth as a option. In 2019, CMC served 230 women in 2990 appointments. The pandemic forced suspension of clinic services for 19 months between 2020 and 2021, during which time the clinic developed a series of online wellness workshops focusing on stress reduction, symptom management, support for healthy lifestyles, and connecting to community resources. Since then, CMC has been rebuilding its practitioner corps to resume and expand 1-on-1 in-clinic care to returning and new clients in conjunction with a 3-year strategic plan developed in 2022 to double clinical impact beyond 2019 totals and foster financial sustainability. Approximately 76% of CMC's clients are women of color and 46% are immigrants, many of whom are limited-English or monolingual Spanish or Chinese speaking. Most are aged 50+; many live alone, sometimes in homeless shelters, are food insecure, and are likely to be diagnosed in later stages of cancer. CMC was founded to provide and equitable opportunity for these women to achieve the highest attainable health during their cancer journey through regular access to complementary therapies in combination with their standard cancer care. We would not be able to do what we do without individual donors and foundations that understand the importance of what we offer to women who would otherwise be unable to afford the compassionate, life-sustaining integrative care services CMC provides.