Ohana Wellness Sessions

Community Acupuncture | Wellness Support | Coaching
Orange, CA

“Every family that has a child battling cancer should experience the Ohana Project. The intimate community support is so important.”

— Mother, 35, child with brain tumor

Our Ohana

The Ohana Project is our Orange County, California-based program that combines integrative therapies such as acupuncture, with in-person and online peer support and preventive health behavior education. The program is designed to bring families together in small groups to engage in activities that improve quality of life and reduce long-term health risks for childhood cancer survivors.

 

Community Acupuncture

The cornerstone of our Ohana Sessions is the community acupuncture component offered by the expert team at Open Mind Modalities. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine is offered in our group treatment “living room” where families — SuperKids & SuperSibs — gather in mutual support and to play while in care.

Wellness Coaching

Our Nurse Coach, Veronica DeRosa, is an oncology Nurse Practitioner who offers tailored support for quality-of-life care at each Ohana Session. Veronica is also on hand for treatment and care related questions as well as Spanish-language support.

Social Support

One of the most powerful aspects of Ohana is the therapeutic social support shared by families held in care together. The whole family is embraced in care at Ohana. Siblings are a large focus of the care we provide. It’s beautiful to see the lifelong bonds that our families have created together.

 

“We don’t feel lost and alone in this anymore.”

— Mother, 37, child with brain tumor

Apply Today

Please carefully read through the information included below and reach out to us at info@maxloveproject.org with any questions. Once you’ve read through everything, please complete and submit the application form below to be considered for the program. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, depending on availability of funding.

  • Eligibility: Ohana Community Acupuncture & Wellness sessions are made available to children and young adults (as well as immediate family) in treatment or survivorship for pediatric cancer and related or rare life-threatening diseases.

    If your child cannot be treated in the group environment of community acupuncture please contact Open Mind Modalities directly about private sessions. SuperFamily sponsorships may be available.

  • The goal of this program is to enhance the quality of life of children and young adults facing cancer and related rare life-threatening diseases. The immediate family is always included. The methods used are Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture led by licensed acupuncturists as well as R.N.-led wellness coaching designed to support mind, body and spirit.

    The Ohana Community Acupuncture & Wellness sessions are held in the MaxLove Project/Open Mind Modalities office at 805 West La Veta Ave. Suite 205 in Orange on Wednesdays from 12:30-5:30pm.

    Open Mind Modalities offers the acupuncture clinic while MaxLove Project funds the program and offers the wellness support. Both organizations collaborate to provide the Thrive Space.

    Program communications will take place in a private group within the MaxLove Connect app.

    Veronica DeRosa, R.N., will offer a monthly topical wellness session during Ohana hours. Veronica will also be on hand during those sessions and in MaxLove Connect to support families’ questions and concerns.

  • Program costs to MLP are $70 for acupuncture per session per family and MLP fully funds the wellness coaching and R.N. support for all participants. Full sponsorships for acupuncture funded by MLP are available to families with financial need and a sliding-scale contribution plan is also available to families with the capacity to contribute (subsidized by MLP). Applicants may request sponsorship or sliding-scale payment on the application form below.

  • This application is for 2022 only. Participants must re-apply each year.

    Acceptance into this program is nontransferable to other forms of acupuncture, such as private sessions.

    Applicants are required to be members of the free MaxLove Connect app. Applicants who are accepted into the program are asked to participate in a special private support group in MaxLove Connect. Session updates will be posted there.

    Ohana session participants are asked to advocate for and support MLP’s efforts to sustain the program funding with the following:

    Social media support: we ask participants to tag us in social media sharing from Ohana sessions. We would also love access to photos and media from sharing families to use for promotion and fundraising.

    Farm Walk fundraiser: on May 1st, 2022 we’ll host a farm walk for childhood cancer at Tanaka Farms and we hope Ohana families will support this event and the program with an online fundraising page that we will provide.

    Potential speaking opportunities at the Farm to Fork Dinner and in promotional videos.

    Program participants are expected to adhere to COVID-19 protocols as determined by Open Mind Modalities for the safety of all of their clinic patients.