Agency - Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic

The Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic was founded to provide access to alternative complementary modalities of treatment for low income women who have cancer. By providing these services we hope to empower women to have control over their lives and health care choices. The clinic was also founded specifically to treat women because of the particular social, economic, and political realities women face in our society and in relation to the health care system.

Description:
At CMCC we provide free massage, acupuncture, herbal therapies, guided imagery, reiki, transportation, organic foods, and social work services to our clients-low income women facing cancer. All services are provided by volunteers, (except for Social Work). We seek to support women's quality of life as they undergo cancer treatment. Our alternative health treatments offer relief from the terrible side effects of cancer and its treatments such as pain, fatigue and nausea, and enhance the immune systems and quality of life of our clients.

History:
The Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic (CMCC) is named after Charlotte Maxwell, who died of ovarian cancer in 1988. Charlotte strongly believed that the complementary therapies that enhanced the quality of her life, in her last months, should be made accessible to women who would not otherwise have access to them. In 1991 the Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic (CMCC) was founded by a dedicated group of health care providers and women with cancer to answer the unmet need to provide low-income women with free complementary alternative therapies.

Initially, the Clinic provided only the core complementary therapies to 10-15 women on a half day each Saturday. The Clinic grew, and is still growing, as a result of community response, recognition and support. Since its beginnings, CMCC has quadrupled its clinic hours and pool of volunteers practitioners. Currently the clinic serves approximately 200 women, many of them critically ill. This year we are opening a San Francisco Clinic in the Mission District.

Contact people:

Krista Alderson, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Pam Pierson, Board President, (email)

Address:

610 16th Street, Ste. 426 Oakland, CA 94612 (See a map)

Web Site: http://charlottemaxwell.org/

Directions:

4 blocks from the 12th street BART in Downtown Oakland   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: 12 street BART,   Walk distance (in minutes): .2 miles

Miscellaneous Information

Besides English, which languages are spoken at your agency?
	American Sign Language, Cantonese, Spanish
What is the minimum age for volunteers at your agency?
	18
Is your agency wheelchair accessible?
	No
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 10?
	No
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 20?
	No

Last updated on January 29, 2013