
Mountain West Community Chapter: How Acupuncture Can Benefit the Myeloma Community
Did you know Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) offers Acupuncture? According to their website, Acupuncture used along with standard cancer treatment can help control many side effects of cancer, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
Studies show acupuncture can improve the quality and length of sleep, reduce pain and anxiety, promote relaxation, and relieve stress. Research also suggests that acupuncture can boost your body’s natural production of melatonin, a hormone produced in your brain to regulate sleeping and waking cycles. This allows for deeper sleep and a more relaxed, calm mind.
Acupuncture is safe for people who are, or have been, treated for cancer. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves all needles. The needles are sterile, used once, and then thrown away.
Here to teach the Mountain West Community more about Acupuncture and its benefits for myeloma patients is Melissa Zappa, an oncology acupuncture clinician at the Huntsman onsite outpatient clinic, and the Wellness, Education, Research, Training, and Acupuncture Coordinator at the Wellness and Integrative Health Center.
We are excited to learn from her along with you. We look forward to seeing you there!
Audrey introduces the agenda of the event and featured speaker Melissa Zappa, MAcOM, DAc-C, LAc.
Melissa Zappa teaches about acupuncture and its benefits for myeloma patients.
Type your questions in the chat and we will answer them!

Audrey Burton-Bethke
Audrey joined the HealthTree Foundation as the Myeloma Community Program Director in 2020. While not knowing much about myeloma at the start, she has since worked hard to educate herself, empathize and learn from others' experiences. She loves this job. Audrey is passionate about serving others, loves learning, and enjoys a nice mug of hot chocolate no matter the weather.

Melissa Zappa, MAcOM, DAc-C, LAc
Melissa Zappa, MAcOM, L.Ac, holds a Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland, Oregon and a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from the National University of Health Sciences near Chicago, IL. Melissa completed post-graduate internships in Nanjing, China at Jiangsu Provincial Hospital and has pursued additional integrative and oncology training from Memorial Sloan Kettering and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO.)