“Chiyu” means “healing” in Japanese. Our name is a nod to the roots of one of our very first integrative therapies.

The story of Chiyu | Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine (Chiyu Center) is one that spans generations, scientific systems, and vastly different medical cultures.

Erika F. Marie, DACM, LAc, graduated the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science and focus in pre-medicine, experimental research, and systems engineering. While she was on active duty, her father was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. To everyone’s surprise, he eliminated his cancer with a pioneering determination to use what we now call an “integrative” approach to medicine. His journey inspired Erika to investigate energy medicine, natural health, and herbal therapies. She was so impressed that she changed career paths from pursuit of an MD degree to earn a Masters and Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.

Shortly after completing national board-certification in acupuncture, Dr. Marie’s infant daughter, Adahlia, received a devastating diagnosis of Diamond Blackfan Anemia, an ultra-rare blood disorder. At this same time, Dr. Marie was hit with kidney failure of unknown origin. In this seemingly hopeless situation, Dr. Marie used an integrative approach to put her own autoimmunity into remission and help Adahlia thrive despite monthly dependency on blood donation and severe cardiac iron overload. In 2019, Dr. Marie was selected to advise and start the acupuncture clinic of the Kansas City VA Hospital. She was published in EXPLORE medical journal in 2021.

In 2024, Dr. Marie worked with her daughter’s bone marrow transplant team in an integrative capacity. The result? Adahlia experienced an astonishingly gentle and successful BMT. Even with an unrelated stem cell donor and a hospital-acquired c. diff. infection at a critical time, Adahlia experienced no clinically defined mucositis, GVHD, post-transplant infection, or peripheral neuropathy. She did not require an nG tube, was able to eat and drink normally throughout transplant, experienced quick engraftment, was discharged to her home and pets just 23 days after transplant, and had her central line removed 54 days later. Her quick healing astonished her team as she continued to surpass every expectation of vitality well before each milestone, needing only a low-moderate dose of immune suppression, and weaning off all pharmaceutical medications in less than 6 months. By 9 months post-transplant, Adahlia was downhill-skiing blue and black diamonds at high elevation in the Rocky Mountains, a sport she had never previously attempted due to the anemia of DBA.

Today, Dr. Marie consults with and treats patients suffering from complex conditions in Colorado and around the world. She also speaks, advises, and educates the public and health providers on the effective integration of medicines.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Marie and Adahlia act as advocates for multiple charitable organizations, encouraging blood donation and registration for the world-wide stem cell registries, including the National Marrow Donor Program and the Department of Defense’s Salute to Life Program.