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A medical crisis can bring up feelings of grief, numbness — even anger. Community’s chaplain services help patients and their loved ones cope with a diagnosis or other health matter. 

Dealing with anxiety after a breast cancer diagnosis

When Yuliya Kochkina was diagnosed with breast cancer, it brought up a lot of emotions. The working mom was also going to school, and her diagnosis made life suddenly more complicated.

“Yuliya was referred to me by her physician for experiencing anxiety,” said Pastor Kevin Rhamie, chaplain at Community Cancer Institute on the Clovis Community Medical Center campus. “She was upset with what life threw at her but didn't know how to deal with it. I was able to help her using cognitive behavioral therapy.”

Pastor Rhamie and the chaplain services team provide support in a non-judgmental way, no matter a person’s beliefs or background. 

“Most of what we do is non-religious. It has to do with helping the individual cope through their health crisis,” said Pastor Rhamie. “Whatever religion they have, whatever coping mechanisms they have or have used in the past, we utilize those to help them.”

“Pastor Kevin was really respectful to my religious beliefs,” said Kochkina. “He said, ‘If it's good for you, we can follow it. If it's not, we can leave it.’”

Clinical Pastoral Education program provides interfaith spiritual care training 

Community Regional Medical Center is home to a fully accredited Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program that provides training for spiritual care providers like Pastor Rhamie.

Open to community clergy, spiritual care practitioners (pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, crisis workers, death doulas), graduate theological students, and people of all faiths or no faith, the CPE program offers first-hand experience to those who have a passion for helping people experiencing emotional distress.

Counseling an important part of the healing journey

After two decades, Pastor Rhamie continues to find immense value in his work.

“The most rewarding part of my job is to see the before and the after,” he said. “To see somebody who comes to me almost falling apart and in a matter of sometimes just three sessions, see all of that resolved and behind them and moving forward … that's so rewarding.”

For Kochkina, chaplain services was an unexpected but significant part of her healing.

“I chose to come and treat my cancer here at Community Cancer Institute because they have everything: mammogram doctors, oncologists, radiologists, the cancer infusion center,” she shared. “I would suggest [others experiencing cancer] come to the palliative department and talk to them about all the opportunities they can experience here and what they can get, because it's actually a lot of resources.”

More information about Community’s chaplain services

Chaplain services are offered at Clovis Community Medical Center, Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital, and Community Behavioral Health Center. 

Hospital chaplains are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and offer emotional support as well as traditional services, including: 

• Anointing
• Baptism (when urgent)
• Blessing
• Holy communion
• Prayer

Additionally, the chapel at Clovis Community and reflection room at Community Regional are available for use by all who are visiting or working in the hospital.