Guam smokers, and people who suffer from depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and other brain-related conditions now can get noninvasive, quick and painless treatment that is registering a high rate of success throughout the United States. The Todu Guam Foundation, which brought this therapy to Guam, also wants to expand services into the CNMI.
The therapy is called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or TMS, and it’s U.S. Federal Drug Administration-approved. It’s a machine, operated by medical professionals, that is placed on your head; and for about 20 minutes sends magnetic impulses into the part of your brain that clinically will provide relief to smoking addicts, and those suffering from depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, OCD, and other issues.
“We’re really blessed to bring this treatment to Guam because of the high incidences of these conditions,” Todu Guam president Lena Calvo-Rodriguez said in late January, when the non-profit group started providing the service.
“This is something we hope to bring to the CNMI as well,” her husband and Todu Guam co-founder, Dennis Rodriguez, Jr. said.
For now, there is only one machine on island. You may apply to the Todu Guam Foundation for treatment to see if you qualify for the therapy. Their offices operate during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, at the first floor of the Sunny Plaza in Tamuning (between Guam Premier Outlets and the old Bank of Hawaii building).
Ms. Calvo-Rodriguez confirmed the therapy is not FDA-approved for the treatment of drug abuse, but that it is approved for this use in most European countries. “It’s been useful and proven there,” Ms. Calvo-Rodriguez said.
The introduction of this therapy to Guam is part of Todu Guam’s mental/behavioral health program. The dub it the MindCare project.
”Our mental and behavioral health challenges on Guam require out of the box strategies and action. Working with our clinical team and network of our mental health specialist and subject matter experts, we identified the best available TMS device on the market. Through the support of the USDA Guam and Honolulu offices, the funds awarded to us made it possible to purchase and install Guam’s first BrainsWay Deep TMS device at the TGF Health and Wellness Center in Tamuning.”
BrainsWay is a global leader in advanced noninvasive neurostimulation treatments for mental health disorders, according to Ms. Calvo-Rodriguez. The company, according to a Todu Guam news release, is boldly advancing neuroscience with its proprietary Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (Deep TMSTM) platform technology which has been shown to improve health and transform lives. Founded in 2003, with offices in Burlington, MA, Cresskill, NJ and Jerusalem, Israel, BrainsWay is committed to increasing global awareness and broad access to Deep TMS. BrainsWay is the first and only TMS company to obtain four FDA- cleared indications backed by pivotal studies demonstrating clinically proven efficacy. The device, which will be available at the TGF Health and Wellness Center can be used to treat major depressive disorder, depression with anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and smoking addiction. The Company is dedicated to leading through superior science and building on its unparalleled body of clinical evidence.
“We have developed a relationship with Brainsway that will ensure the Todu Guam Foundation is positioned to respond to the unique needs of our community and the Micronesian region. We look forward to bringing this resource to our underserved community, as they are the cornerstone of our mission. We also look forward to providing this innovative tool to our partners in the military based on Guam and to our veteran population,” Ms. Calvo-Rodriguez added.
