Therapists at CV Life’s Mana Spa have undergone intensive training to be able to give oncology massage treatments to people living with and beyond cancer.
Along with her team of massage therapists, spa manager Rachel Brooks has completed a post graduate diploma in Oncology Massage which means Mana Spa is one of limited spas that can provide treatments by specially trained therapists.
Unfortunately, due to a long running and inaccurate urban myth, many therapists are trained to refuse to give treatments to people with cancer for fear they could inadvertently spread the condition to other parts of the body.
Due to this, it can be tricky for people who have or have had cancer to get such treatments. Since earning the qualification, staff at Mana Spa have been using it to give some much-needed TLC to people with cancer, some of whom have been on end life care.
There are huge benefits for people who have massage therapy and there is no reason this cannot be extended to people with cancer. What oncology massage does is specifically tailor the practice to suit the needs of those living with or recovering from cancer.
It is carried out by specially qualified cancer trained therapists and can help reduce anxiety and pain. It can also tackle nausea for those receiving chemotherapy.
Rachel said: “It’s been incredibly rewarding to be able to give these treatments to people who’ve been through really tough times.
“So when the opportunity came for Mana Spa to have this training I felt we could make a real difference to the spa industry and to the lives of the people who we would be treating.
“People who have cancer deserve to be treated with love and respect and they need massage therapy and these kinds of treatments perhaps more than anyone else.
“I’m really glad this is a service we can now offer. To know we can do something that will bring comfort and well-being is fantastic.
“We’ve had a few clients who are on end-of-life care and to be able to give them some peace is amazing and just so rewarding.
“We make the sessions specifically about the wants, needs and requirements of the individual – what might work for one might be different for another. So we try to work with the person, build up a relationship with them and really make it about what they need.
“We look forward to welcoming more clients at Mana Spa in the future.”