Donna Schmid, Director of Integrative Health and Wellness Fair
and LMT NCMMT/owner of The Center for Therapeutic Health & Wellness

A few years ago Donna Schmid, a nationally certified medical massage therapist, began considering ways to bring the idea of integrative medicine to the Grants Pass area. Holding a health and wellness fair sounded like a great idea, but knowing how to get it started presented a difficulty. Donna turned to fellow business owner Jeff Voigt, who believed the community would embrace this idea. Jeff then became instrumental to the cause, offering advice and solutions to problems every step of the way. The preparations are nearing completion, and the first Rogue Valley Integrative Health and Wellness Fair will take place June 13, 14 & 15 in the Community Building at Josephine County Fairgrounds. A portion of the proceeds will benefit College Dreams, which promotes healthy youth development, academic excellence, and college preparation for students, especially those who face life challenges.

The goal of this fair is to familiarize people with various aspects of healing and wellness and show how Western (modern) and Eastern medicine work together to treat the whole person - body, mind, and spirit. For example, if a cancer patient is receiving chemotherapy, they may wish to use herbs or even acupuncture to help control nausea, and perhaps a gentle massage for relaxation and stress relief. By implementing a number of methods and with good communication between all involved, the patient receives a powerful program of care. Donna believes this is what integrative medicine is all about. It bridges the gap between healers who use modern medicine and those who use alternative medicine, working in unison for the common goal of providing outstanding results.

With that idea in mind, Donna met with Dr. Robin Miller of Triune Integrative Medicine in Medford. Dr. Miller is very excited about this new approach to medicine, and can be heard on News Channel 5 KOBI-NBC at 6pm on Mondays and Tuesdays. She will be the keynote speaker at the Integrated Health and Wellness Fair. Other speakers include naturopathic physician Daniel N. Smith, holistic family nurse practitioner Kathleen Johnson, and Terry and Joan Walton from the Medifast program “Take Shape for Life.”

The fair is interactive, allowing people to not only gather information, but actually see and in some cases experience different types of technology. Many of the healing arts will be represented, such as acupuncture, aromatherapy, feng shui, and naturopathy. There will be a cooking show, along with a wealth of information about healthy foods and how to incorporate them into your diet. Questions will be gladly answered by one of many professionals. It is the hope of everyone involved in this fair that those in attendance will walk away knowing they have the ability to be proactive in their health care and to understand the wide variety of options that are out there for you and your family.

To stay updated on this event, learn more about integrative medicine, or find more information on the speakers and vendors, visit their website at http://www.roguevalleywellnessfair.com/ You may also contact the director, Donna Schmid, at 541-476-1662. - Gina Locke