Urban Zen Foundation

"Where do healthcare and medicine collide with brilliant minds and uninhabited imagination?"  TEDMED 2009

It's been a week since TEDMED 2009 wrapped, and the challenge and the excitement is taking all the ideas learned and generated during the conference and moving forward. Donna Karan, who spoke at TEDMED, and Sonja Nuttall, the creative director of Urban Zen, return from the conference completely inspired to share what they've learned. "TEDMED is the future of

changing medicine and healthcare," says Sonja. Watch this space for follow up stories.

At TEDMED, Donna shared her story about her husband, Stephan Weiss, and one of her best friends, Lynn Kohlman. Their battle with cancer led Donna on a journey of heartbreak and loss. She emerged from that journey an advocate of the healing power of integrating eastern healing modalities into western medical settings. Her vision of healing and caring - for

patients, loved ones, and caregivers - led to the creation of the URBAN ZEN INTEGRATIVE THERAPY PROGRAM.

The speakers at TEDMED all shared a little about themselves. Some of the stories were about moments of vulnerability, some about technical advances, but all were looking forward, and simultaneously remembering our humanity. Highlights from the forum include:

- Jack Lord, president of NAVIGENIC who is seeking to connect the healthcare dialogue and the power of science.

- Goldie Hawn, founder of the HAWN FOUNDATION, who spoke on understanding the scientific mind of the child and keeping them in touch with their emotion so they can go to school with joy, happiness.

- Vic Strecher, founder of HEALTHMEDIA - who spoke on the motivation of change.  "I would call him the Good Coach," says Sonja. Dr. Strecher explores the role of interactive communications technologies on health behavior change and decision making.

-And who could forget David Blain, a magician who has set records for high-profile feats of endurance and attributes it to being able to enter meditative states. To watch a clip of his talk, CLICK HERE

-Alexander Tsiaras demonstrated THEVISUALMD, an interactive site that offers 3D imagery to tell compelling stories about health, and replace what Alexander calls existing "boring" content. To see an interview on ABC, CLICK HERE

-Jesse Dylan, founder of LYBBA, shared his vision to use SMO to form a community of healthcare practitioners.

-And of course Richard Saul Wurman and Marc Hodash, founders of TEDMED.

Read more about Urban Zen in the press, CLICK HERE.