Stage IV:
A global network of leaders who champion creative arts therapy, integrative medicine, patient advocacy, and healthcare innovation. Inspired by Dance4Healing‘s founder Amy Li’s Stage IV cancer journey and the pursuit of super happiness. The Stage IV media network is an educational arm of Dance4Healing , the Innovator of the Month.
Editorial Mission Statement:
The audience of StageIV.org will love to come to our site, read our posts and eventually buy the book it turns into because they feel touched and inspired by the stories; intrigued and educated by the knowledge they gain; and empowered by tips and tools for them and their love ones to live a happier, healthier, and fun life.
What does “Stage” mean at Stage IV?
Read the Stage Poem.
Case for Action:
The American Psychology Association (APA) reported that 75% of Americans have symptom(s) from stress, causing 60-90% of doctor visits, and 56% want more support. 90% of elders prefer to age at home. Chronic patients and elders are often trapped at home, in suburbia, isolated and lonely. They not only are challenged with physical fatigue from aging, disease and treatment, but often depression and stress. 72% of Americans, 43% of seniors, and 62% of teenagers report loneliness, which is more damaging than smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Behavior change is difficult, even more so in this isolated environment. 10,000 Americans turn 65 daily, many more worldwide. 80% of older adults have at least one chronic disease, and 68% have at least two. Heart disease, cancer, and stroke are the leading causes of death among the elderly. 78% of cancer patients are over age 55. An estimated 1,735,350 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the US and 609,640 people will die from cancer. If no action is taken, our economy may collapse due to higher medical costs and lower spending habits in the aging population.
Research shows that Creative Arts Therapy improves cancer patient’s Quality of Life by 50% and reduce pain by 59%. Dance reduces the risk of dementia by 76% (1 in every 5 Medicare dollars were spent on Alzheimer’s and will rise to 1 in 3 by 2050), cardiovascular death by 46% (1 in 3 deaths). APA reports that 47% of Americans prefer to manage stress through listening to music, 46% through exercise or walk. However, CAT is under-utilized. My family and I went through 6 years of excruciating pain both mentally and physically with my stage IV cancer; I don’t want any family to go through the same experience. When cancer struck, I went back to my childhood love of music, dance, and art, and forgot how sick I was. A few months after cancer, I used my tech and design background to launch Dance4Healing (D4H) for healthy behavior change using AI and behavior design. We won 15 awards, but the health industry is still not cognizant of these medical benefits. If we can provide more “aging-in-place” technology solution to bring creative arts therapy, exercise, and more importantly community support to home, we will ensure a more healthy aging community and more stable economic worldwide.
There is a lack of data on effective lifestyle recommendations for normal-weight diabetics (NWD), accounting for 1 in 5 Type II DM patients. NWD is especially prevalent in Asian populations and elders, facing higher mortality rates than obese diabetics. People of Asian descent often develop diabetes at a younger age and lower body weight. Filipinos, Koreans, South Asians, and Vietnamese adults are likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes significantly earlier than non-Hispanic white adults. DM is more common among African-Americans than non-Hispanic whites and is a significant risk factor for CVD. Furthermore, the prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP) in African Americans is the highest globally. >40% of African Americans have HBP, increasing the risk of diabetes and Alzheimer’s (AD). Additionally, HBP increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Funded by the National Institute On Minority Health and Health Disparities, we are developing an intergenerational telehealth program for minority diabetes patients and their care partners to increase engagement and reduce health disparities! To learn more, visit our NIH study page.
We are calling for writers, editors, artists, doctors, patients, families, and innovators to join our global network of leaders to champion Creative Arts Therapy, Integrative Medicine, Patient Advocacy, and Healthcare Innovation. We are also looking for Book Agents, Publishers and funders for a PBS Documentary to raise awareness through public education and inspiring stories.
The possibility we can co-create is 1 million lives saved from cancer, dementia, heart disease, diabetes, neurological disorders, depression and other disease.
Join our movement, together we make the world healthy and happy, one step at a time.
In my most beautiful grateful dance bow 🙂
Amy Li
Founder and Chief Creative Officer
Disclaimer: Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute On Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R43MD018300. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.