Female Focus
Page 25
Massage for those living with Cancer by Laura Gregory
It’s a sad fact of life that cancer touches most of us in some way during our lives. Whether being a cancer patient, or a partner, family member, loved one or friend. I’m no different. My sister was diagnosed with cancer of the colon 2 years ago and my father has leukaemia.
My calling in life is as a beauty therapist. I trained at the Cambridge School of Beauty Therapy and am a fully qualified Therapist with Cidesco, Cibtac and Itec qualifications. I have always been interested in the holistic approach within beauty, especially massage.
I had heard that therapists were giving massage to cancer patients and actually doing more harm than good. I knew that Cancer was a contraindication (an indication that a therapy may do harm) and started to look in to this further, thereby discovering that now there are actual courses for Oncology massage. I learned that Oncology massage is a contraindication only IF the therapist has not been trained in Oncology Massage. I was delighted to seize this wonderful opportunity as the therapist is “Somebody who doesn’t take but gives” making the sufferer feel more like a person less like a patient, sentiments I totally agree with.
The training has taught me many things. Firstly, a very thorough consultation has to take place before a treatment can take place. Secondly, the massage is adapted in many ways – every cancer patient has different reactions to the treatment they are undergoing (2 people being treated for Colon cancer will react very differently even if taking the same medication etc). Also surgery and location of a tumour affects how the person can be massaged. Thus any massage is unique to that person’s needs.
The benefits are both physical and emotional and include: - Increases relaxation
- Decreases oedema and lymphedema - Improves sleep - Decreases symptoms related to chemo and radiation, such as fatigue nausea, diarrhoea and loss of appetite - Decreases anxiety and depression - The oils used can help with scarring after surgery
This isn’t some theoretical list, I should know – I have massaged my father and have seen first hand the relief he has shown – even his consultant at Denia hospital is happy at this complimentary therapy.
I am available for oncology massages at
Blush Beauty Salon in Alcalali and have agreed with Teresa (the owner) to offer oncology massages to anyone living with cancer. We won’t charge for this in January, instead we’ll ask for a donation to MABS – a leading and popular local Cancer Care charity.
I will be available for treatments on the 12th, 19th, 21st, 26th and 28th of January, please call 96 648 2106 to make an appointment.
If you’d like to find out more, go on the Macmillan Cancer website they have a section about massage and its benefits.
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/ information-and-support/coping/ complementary-therapies/ complementary-therapies-explained/
massage-therapies.html#95429.
file photo
Your caring magazine
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60