As a destination for health and well-being, the employees of Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village and California Health & Longevity Institute are committed to fighting the impact of cancer by participating in the Relay for Life of Conejo Valley, sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Later this fall, a Canvas to a Cure exhibit is planned in the Hotel’s Art Gallery to benefit The Wellness Community, Valley/Ventura. In addition, experts from California Health & Longevity Institute will provide education and strategies for cancer prevention and care.

Relay for Life

For the second consecutive year, multiple employee teams from Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village are participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of the Conejo Valley on August 28 and 29. Each Hotel team is comprised of representatives from various departments who collaborate to host a series of fundraisers ranging from a soccer tournament to raffles to taco and bake sales. Even Regional Vice President and General Manager Thomas Gurtner gets into the act, spear-heading a car wash manned by Hotel executives to raise funds. During the event, Four Seasons employees, including chefs, housekeepers, sales and catering managers, spa therapists and restaurant servers, take turns walking for 24 hours, “representing the reality that cancer never sleeps.”

Canvas to a Cure

In honour of Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, the Hotel’s Art Gallery will feature a new exhibit entitled Canvas to a Cure. The exhibit showcases an all-female lineup of artists and sculptors including Alexi Fine, Alicia Overton, Andrea Stanley, Rhea Carmi and Sylvia Chait. Each of the exhibited works is available for sale with proceeds benefiting The Wellness Community Valley/Ventura. This organisation is dedicated to helping people with cancer and their loved ones enhance their health and well-being by providing a professional program of emotional support, education and hope. A rotating exhibit is presented throughout the year in the Art Gallery, located on the second floor of the lobby at California Health & Longevity Institute.

Education for Prevention and Care

Located within the Hotel, one of California Health & Longevity Institute’s signature programs is the Wellness Kitchen, a hands-on food experience led by a registered dietitian-chef. During the month of October, a featured theme “Fact vs. fiction: What really lowers risk factors for cancer?” is slated on the rotating schedule of classes. This class teaches participants about environmental concerns regarding food safety, as well as foods that help reduce cancer risk.

The Institute’s Director of Nutrition Paulette Lambert, RD, CDE, has extensive history in clinical patient care, including counseling for those at risk or undergoing treatment for cancer. Recognising this, Cancer Consultants tapped Lambert to serve as the host for a series of upcoming webisodes on cancerconnect.com entitled “The Wellness Kitchen.” In each segment, Lambert cooks up a healthy recipe rich in antioxidants and cancer-fighting foods. In addition, she pens a quarterly column for Women magazine, also published by Cancer Consultants.