Donor Story: Tom Kress and Anita Gras Bryant
Published
Tom Kress and Anita Gras Bryant chat about being a Patient and a Donor to Bastyr
Q: Thank you for taking the time to share your experience at Bastyr Clinics. How long have you been a Bastyr Center for Natural Health patient?
Anita: Close to 30 years. I was raised by an aunt who was a naturopath so it felt like a natural thing to do, to see naturopathic doctors.
Tom: Anita's aunt was one of the original Steiner affiliates, and she got into the medical schools when they opened for a brief period there. So she was a naturopath, and then she was one of the few who became a medical doctor and a midwife.
Anita: I always thought that everybody, when you went to the doctor, would get osteopathic manipulations, homeopathic remedies, and a massage.
Q: How did you hear about Bastyr Center?
Tom: I returned from India and other places in the Orient, having collected a fair amount of light tropical medicine for my symptoms. When I moved back to Seattle, probably 35 years ago or more, the clinic was right in the area where I moved, near the University of Washington.
Anita:, it just seems like it's been in our lives for a long time.
Can you share about any services you have utilized at Bastyr Center?
Anita – I very often go for physical medicine services -. Massage, Peet mud baths, and adjustments.
And that was what I grew up with. And so it felt really natural to do that and I was grateful that this type of care was still available.
Tom: Also, I’ve used the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the Ayurvedic services that used to exist. These were all really helpful for me. I had a condition that, for many men, becomes pretty chronic. I had an acute episode on two occasions, and TCM helped to alleviate the acuity of those bouts, and then since then, I've never really had much problem with that at all. TCM was also very helpful with my, dysmotility issues. Others I know had to have punishing surgeries. I thought I was going to need the same procedure. I used TCM for treatment, and the symptoms began to lessen each time I had either an esophageal occlusion or esophageal obstruction. I could feel it relax. I've only had a few follow-ups to keep it under control. It's been eight to ten years since those conditions were treated.
I really do believe there are so many situations like that in our society where we've gone the invasive or pharmacological route, and they could have been alleviated or improved with some natural therapeutic treatments.Anita and I have also used counseling services at the clinic.
How long have you been giving financial gifts to Bastyr?
Tom: Quite a while. We started donating small annual gifts, then moved to qualified charitable donations(QCDs) because they are more financially beneficial, and more people should know about them.
Q: Why do you donate to Bastyr?
Tom: We've had a great experience and wish it was available to more people in other areas around the country!
Q: I know there are so many worthwhile organizations in Washington. Why is Bastyr always included in your gifts?
Anita: I was raised by a naturopathic family, and so Bastyr represents naturopathic medicine. So it's easy to be affiliated with Bastyr, and we're grateful that they are relatively close to us, to be able to access the wonderful services that Bastyr offers.
Q: How else have you been involved with Bastyr? I understand you have visited the Kenmore campus?
Tom: Yes, we've done programs at the campus for a long time, a lecture or seminar, or just to meet for lunch at the dining hall.
Q: What do you think about the mission of the organization?
Anita: The philosophical and therapeutic missions are just a given for us.
Q: Do you have any closing thoughts or advice for us to keep others inspired?
Tom: Bastyr should continue to align with the integrative professions and allopathic doctors and nurse practitioners to spread the knowledge and training.
At this New Year
Give the gift of natural medicine to others
Have you experienced life-changing health from the care you receive at Bastyr Clinics?
Would you like to open the door for others, without financial means, to access this same care? You can open the door for them!
$85: Open one (1) care visit for someone in need
$250: Open three (3) visits for others who cannot pay
Thank you for ensuring Bastyr Clinics continues to provide healing and care
to our community throughout 2025!
