-- Twelve Practitioners from Around the Country Featured --

HARTFORD, Conn. -- (Business Wire)

Interest in complementary medicine has grown sizably in recent years as has the number of individuals providing services in many of its sub-specialties. Aetna (NYSE: AET) highlights some of the most fascinating African-Americans contributing in this field of health care in its 32^nd African-American history calendar titled “Celebrating African Americans Practicing Physical and Alternative Healing.”

Yvonne Bronner, Sc.D., R.D., a professor and founding director of the M.P.H./Dr.PH. program at Morgan State University wrote in the calendar’s introduction, “The NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has supported research in this area since 1992. Positive effects of some therapies can be explained and supported. Others can’t. But practitioners continue to present positive experiences from their patients.” Dr. Bronner previously was director of the University’s complementary and alternative medicine research training program.

Mark T. Bertolini, chairman, CEO and president of Aetna said, “There is so much we have yet to know about complementary medicine. There is a rather lengthy history of medical research that either supports or negates traditional Western medical practices, but the research conducted on complementary medicine is relatively new. Still, there are many components of complementary medicine providing beneficial results with many people living healthier. There is no doubt that many of these therapies are alleviating pain and suffering.”

“Aetna is proud to focus on the accomplishments of African-Americans in these healing arts. They are people making an important contribution, both to their communities, as well as to their specialty,” said Floyd W. Green III, Aetna’s head of Community Relations and Urban Marketing.

Practitioners featured in the calendar represent a wide diversity of practices. For example, Lester L. Carter, Jr., a pharmacist who opened his own pharmacy in Milwaukee in 1968, is also an herbologist, and ships homemade remedies all over the country. Cynthia Shelby-Lane, M.D., is a Detroit doctor who promotes therapeutic laughter and is developing a 12-step program to help people laugh more and live longer. After earning a Ph.D. in sociology/criminology and teaching at several universities in Washington, D.C., Andrea Sullivan sold everything and moved to Seattle to earn a doctor of naturopathic medicine degree. The author of “A Path to Healing: a Guide to Wellness for Body, Mind and Soul,” Sullivan moved back to Washington and opened the Center for Natural Healing in 1988.

Other practitioners profiled in the 2013 calendar are:

Stella Stepney, M.S., A.T.R.-BC, L.C.A.T., who practices art therapy as a clinician, educator, researcher and author;

Wentworth Jarrett, M.D., who built an integrated medical center with a traditional practice as well as biofeedback, massage therapy, yoga, Pilates and skin care;

Jamela Franklin, Ed.M., M.A., a certified aromatherapist who draws from 200 essential oils to help calm and heal the body;

George Mumford, M.Ed., who left the corporate world to teach a mindfulness-based stress-reduction program to prisoners and staff at Massachusetts correctional facilities. He then went on to the NBA and NCAA where he worked as a sports psychologist;

Angela Tatum Fairfax, Ph.D., who is CEO of a counseling and creative arts psychotherapy practice, and a dance movement therapist;

Ifeoma Ikenze, M.D., who has incorporated 25 years of homeopathy into her medical practice;

Rolf Gates, a yoga teacher and author. As one of the leading voices in modern yoga, a former social worker and U.S. Army Airborne Ranger, he now teaches yoga full time;

Folashade Omole, M.D., F.A.A.F.P., C.P.E.H.R., a physician who also is a licensed medical acupuncturist; and

Juneau K. Robbins, D.C., a chiropractor who spends much of his time helping patients manage pain.

The 2013 calendar is available for $4 by calling 860-273-0509. The online version of the calendar is available at the following website: www.aetnaafricanamericancalendar.com/2013/.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 37.3 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services and health information technology services. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com.

Contacts:

Aetna
Walt Cherniak, 410-401-9490
cherniakjrw@aetna.com

Source: Aetna