The Reason for the
Michael Burr West Foundation
Michael's Story - A Whole Family Story
Michael was the average adventurous boy. He loved riding bikes, skateboarding and his family. Mike, like many other young people, experimented with substances and soon found himself suffering from the chains of the disease of addiction. Like many suffering with this disease, he tried to create a life. He got married. He had 4 beautiful children and he loved them fiercely. Many attempts at sobriety followed by relapses took their toll on him physically, emotionally and spiritually. He fell into a deep depression and eventually took his own life. But during his life, he taught us many lessons about love, acceptance, strength and pain. We so badly wished we could have helped him find the treatment that would have stuck and to still have him with us. We can't make that happen, but we can help others like Mike. We have found another way to assist with sobriety and wellness. We have many other family members, friends, neighbors and have eyes to see the many individuals and families that are struggling with the same things Mike did. Only now, we have seen success come to others and want to help to provide the same opportunity and hope to as many as we can find in need.
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In addition to Michael's story, there is another story to tell. It is in that story that we found the treatments the foundation supports. That story starts with our beloved sister, Wendy Shumway. Wendy is Michael's cousin. Wendy has been diagnosed with breast cancer 2 times. During her 2nd diagnosis, she found a treatment option that would use new modalities in the healing process. The journey she went on is what informed Michael's family of the options available to healing the brain and the body. We honor her journey and her courage in every step we take. It is because of the education and diligence of both Wendy and her husband, Darren, that we are here.
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The bottom line is that the body and brain can heal themselves once they are brought back into balance, as it was designed to do. The Michael Burr West Foundation wants to bring awareness and scholarships for treatment to those wanting to bring that balance to their lives.
2 Distinct Programs
While the foundation's namesake struggled with addiction, we are focused on more than addiction recovery. We are also focused on overall wellbeing. Well Being means having a balanced physical body. When a body is balanced, it is able to heal itself. When the brain is balanced, it is able to function at a higher level. Providing the education and assistance to bringing the body and brain into balance is what the Michael Burr West Foundation's two programs are focused on.
1) Brain balance - Another Chance Program
2) Body balance - Another Way Program
Another Chance Program
Another Chance is the opportunity to provide scholarships that pay for treatment that focuses on bringing the brain into a healed state which allows for new pathways to form. Instead of this taking years to achieve, there are opportunities available that can provide benefit in as little as 28 days.
Another Way Program
Another Way provides scholarships for those in need of body balance. Since the type of treatment supported by the foundation is not covered by health insurances, we want to provide scholarships for treatment that can provide nutritional education and treatment options that can improve the body's ability to heal itself.
About
Another Chance
Chance grew up in rural Utah, loving the outdoors and going fast on bikes. He loved his family and his dogs and dreamed of many of the same things all of us dream of. Chance is Michael's cousin and also landed squarely in addiction and lived the darkness that addiction brings. But the difference with Chance is the discovery of a treatment that gave him a way to heal that Mike never was able to experience. Because of Chance's success, we now know another way is possible.
We know that many forces have assisted our family in finding this treatment, including our beloved Mike. Our prayer is that others are served just like Chance. Every family deserves Another Chance! Every person deserves Another Chance.
This program will provide treatment scholarships to individuals seeking help and don't have the resources to cover the costs associated with treatment.
About
Another Way
Wendy, another cousin of Michael's, was diagnosed twice with breast cancer. After her double mastectomy, she was faced with a decision: more radiation and chemotherapy or Another Way. The other way was the choice she made and in doing so, she led her entire family to discover services that assist in bringing the whole body back into balance, along with nutritional changes that improve body balance. It is because of her bravery to travel another road, that we discovered the opportunities we've described in both programs.
Because this road is not covered by insurance, we want to provide treatment scholarships for as many individuals looking for Another Way for healing.
