Letters
Do you have a strong opinion, or disagree with somebody else’s point of view on topics related to the spa industry? If so, Spa Business would love to hear from you. Email your letters, thoughts and suggestions to
theteam@spabusiness.com
Refusing cancer patients is not a long-term solution
Tracy Walton, owner, Tracy Walton & Associates LLC
The unique vision and target market of the Inspiritas spa featured in the last issue of Spa Business (see SB11/2 p46) invites spas to examine their ability to accommodate clients with cancer and cancer histories. Our ageing population brings a growing incidence of cancer. Among spa services, massage therapy has the potential to ease symptoms, improve sleep and generally help people cope with the disease. As a specialist in massage therapy in cancer care, I recognise several barriers to serving this population well and safely, including the poor level of preparedness in massage therapy. Many massage therapists were taught an old myth, that massage might spread cancer by promoting circulation. Although the myth is slowly fading, people with cancer are often turned away from massage services. In reality, safe, effective massage therapy for people with cancer takes skill, including asking key questions about the client’s medical history and making important massage adjustments. Moreover, spa services involving heat, claims of detoxifi cation and skincare product ingredients – such as parabens, phytoestrogens and sulfates – can be
Forcing a therapist to work beyond their skill level is not the answer. Refusing services is not a long-term solution... spas should support staff with readily available literature and training
Safe, eff ective massage for cancer suff erers takes skill
contraindicated, aggravating symptoms and causing lifelong complications. These skills and considerations are not addressed fully in most massage training programmes, and therapists must turn to continuing education in oncology massage. Advanced training addresses important safety issues, such as how to avoid triggering irreversible lymphedema (with the wrong pressure or heat treatment), adapt to effects of cancer treatment, adjust to blood clot risk and
modify massage pressure for bone involvement and fracture risk. When faced with a client with cancer or a history of it, massage therapists lacking this background are in an uncomfortable position, and their refusal to serve such clients is understandable. Forcing a massage therapist to work beyond their skill level is not the answer. Refusing services to this population is not a long-term solution. Instead, spas should support massage staff with readily available literature and training on the topic, centralised at the Society for Oncology Massage, www.
s4om.org. Aesthetics staff can turn to groundbreaking work by individuals such as Mórag Currin, who specialises in medical conditions and massage – see
www.touchforcanceronline.com. By preparing staff for this work, spas can then respond better to the market, reduce liability exposure and, most importantly, truly welcome an appreciative and deserving client population.
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12 Read Spa Business online
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SPA BUSINESS 3 2011 ©Cybertrek 2011
PHOTO: ©2011 TRACY WALTON & ASSOCIATES LLC
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