Community Highlights: Meet Cheryl Kumberg of Green Healing Solutions

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cheryl Kumberg.

Hi Cheryl, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I have been a nurse for 40 years. I spent 30 years in a hospital setting. I also worked in the alternative healthcare field as a therapeutic massage therapist for 28 years. My experiences taught me the value of combining traditional medicine with alternative therapies. For the last 8 years, I have focused on learning about cannabis and becoming a cannabis nurse. You might say I am a rural cannabis nurse specialist, a fierce patient advocate, and a proponent of body, mind, and spiritual healing. Most of us in cannabis nursing have a personal story that led us to where we are today. I never knew that we have an endocannabinoid system, and it’s the “master system” that is responsible for controlling all our other bodily systems.They certainly didn’t teach that in nursing school! I did know that cannabis helped people in my family with cancer symptoms, depression, pain, and autoimmune problems. I had so many questions and on a whim, I signed up for a medical cannabis conference in Denver, Colorado.

I met the most amazing people there! For the first time ever I heard the term “cannabis Nurse” and I decided right then I wanted to be just like some of the amazing nurses I met there. Energized, I returned home and started looking for other Kansas cannabis nurses to network with and was sorely disappointed. It was like I stood alone on a cliff in Kansas, yelling,”Are there any other cannabis nurses out there?” The only answers I got were crickets chirping. Kansas is one of the last 3 states where any THC is still illegal, and there were no cannabis nurses to be found. Ever hopeful, I found an active advocacy group trying to get a medical cannabis bill passed. I joined their group and became a board member. Through them I met two other Kansas nurses who focused on cannabis, and together we formed a nurse’s group because there is support and strength in numbers. I later joined two national cannabis nursing organizations and now am a co-owner of a nurse-led cannabis education company called Green Healing Solutions.

Where I saw my path going 8 years ago is not where I ended up today. Nurses are known for adapting and changing, and I have done just that. Advocating for patient access to plant medicine has been all-encompassing for the last 5 years. My cup is always half full, and my blessing continues to be the amazing people I meet, the challenges that expand my mind, and the dedication to a cause that I will not stop fighting for.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
Advocating for change in Kansas has been hard and fraught with disappointment. For the most part, Kansas legislators are entrenched in prohibition lies and reefer madness mentality. Thankfully, we have our champion legislators like Senator Cindy Holscher who fight right alongside cannabis advocates. We have a senate leader and house leader who are intent on holding up a cannabis bill, and have successfully done this for the last 3 years. Their personal agendas and opinions are hard to overcome. We will continue to educate those that will listen in the Capitol using solid, science-based evidence and current studies. Industry experts will continue to bring evidence proving the state can reclaim some of the funds being spent in legal neighboring states.

Sadly, patients will continue to suffer, and if they choose to use cannabis anyway, they face arrest and all that entails if caught. In my opinion, legislators are directly responsible for unnecessary physical and mental suffering by refusing to pass cannabis legislation. They do not represent their constituents and data tells us 75% of Kansans want access to medical cannabis. Residents continue to move out of state to gain access to plant medicine, and some cannabis related businesses have given up waiting for change and have left. Sadly as our legislative session draws to a close it appears political shenanigans have prevailed once again and a cannabis bill will not be passed. The legislators bragging that they stopped the dangerous drug “weed” from ruining our state will see all of us advocates again next year standing strong at the Capitol.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Green Healing Solutions?
Another cannabis Nurse Amy Reid and I formed a nurse-led cannabis education company. We offer introductory classes in cannabis for healthcare professionals as well as the public. In Kansas, there is a huge knowledge deficit about cannabis. Healthcare professionals need more knowledge about the endocannabinoid system, plant therapeutics, and how that relates to patients. This is a challenge since we don’t have a legal cannabis program yet, but it is coming, and it will be up to nurses to educate patients and the public.

Patients who use cannabis medically in an illegal state face many challenges. That does not mean they need to face those challenges alone. We offer a safe space to discuss their concerns and refer those who need more help to the correct entities. Being active within national cannabis Nursing organizations keeps us current with the latest research and industry happenings across the United States. We can network nationwide to find resources for our clients. We pride ourselves on supporting patients through their healing journey whatever that may look like.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I highly recommend attending national cannabis conferences. Meeting and talking to industry leaders and cannabis experts has helped me grow professionally.  I find Dr. Dustin Sulak an amazing cannabis education resource for healthcare professionals and cannabis patients alike. His books, podcasts, and free handouts are amazing. Mary Lynn Mathre, a Vietnam-era Registered Nurse, founded “Patients Out of Time,” it’s another wonderful cannabis education organization. The American Cannabis Nurses Association and Cannabis Nurses Network offer many opportunities and support for Nurses interested in learning more and furthering their career within the cannabis industry. My favorite books have topics related to terpenes, cannabis cultivar and what nurses need to know to care for patients using cannabis. Cannakeys 360 is a wonderful comprehensive database app filled with research, dosing and cultivar data. You can even search for information by medical condition. Doing my best requires tapping into all of the above sources and more. Cannabis research and data is continually changing and what we know today may be different in the future. It’s important to keep current. Nourishing my body, mind, and soul is a paramount part of my personal wellness. Love, service to others, and laughter keeps me balanced. My best advice is surround yourself with education, and never stop learning.

Contact Info: 

• Website: https://greenhealingsolutions.com/