Who We Are

History

Founder and Executive Director of Orion Center for Integrative Medicine, Dr. Bonnie A. McGregor first noticed significant gaps in contemporary cancer care during her first job out of college. Working as a research lab technician studying immune function in bone marrow transplant patients and volunteering with the bone marrow transplant patients who had come from all over the world to receive treatments at “The Hutch,” Dr. McGregor noticed the lack of essential psychological support for cancer patients undergoing the stressful transplant procedure. At the same time, she was becoming aware of the emerging literature describing how psychological stress could down regulate immune function. Dr. McGregor was inspired to become a clinical psychologist and behavioral scientist so she could do the research and clinical work necessary to show how psychological intervention could improve not only mood but also real health outcomes among cancer survivors and ultimately make psychological care standard care for cancer patients. Dr. McGregor earned her PhD from the University of Miami and received the Danhour Award as the outstanding Clinical Health Psychology student in 1999. She has remained a pioneer in the field ever since.

Returning to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center following the completion of her PhD, Dr. McGregor’s private practice and clinical research have since focused on the impact of psychological interventions on psychosocial and biological outcomes for cancer survivors. A large and growing literature now describes how psychological intervention and other interactive clinical practices such as acupuncture, nutritional counseling, and massage, can improve outcomes for cancer patients when augmenting standard cancer care. Yet, most patients do not receive integrative therapies. Dr. McGregor developed a passion to increase accessibility of these therapies, do the research needed to make them standard cancer care, and make a real difference in the lives of cancer survivors and their families. Thus was born Orion Center for Integrative Medicine.

Orion Center for Integrative Medicine is a hub of medical professionals and wellness practitioners committed to providing integrated interventions for cancer patients and survivors. The Orion Center is aimed at healing the whole person — body, mind, and spirit — while conducting innovative and essential clinical cancer research. An extension of her work studying the impact of psychological interventions among cancer patients, Dr. McGregor’s research at the Orion Center for Integrative Medicine aims to support integrated care as standard care in cancer treatment.

In 2023, Orion Center for Integrative Medicine merged with Harmony Hill of Union, a non-profit established in 1987 to serve people touched by cancer, and inspire healthy living for all. This natural collaboration of resources and experience will add to the depth and breadth of reach that Orion can achieve as we move forward into a bright future together. We are proud to be a program of Harmony Hill.