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Who doesn’t love the luxury of a professional massage? Healing, therapeutic hands, delicate pressure and that all important time to ourselves allowing us to untangle knots and de-stress. Sounds ideal, right?
But too often cancer patients aren’t able to enjoy the all-important benefits of massage because therapists aren’t able to offer services to them.
That’s why Perth businesswoman Fiona Mearns decided to host industry accredited Specialist Cancer Massage courses - so local therapists can start saying yes to treating people with cancer.
Director and tutor at Perth’s Scottish Academy of Beauty & Holistic Therapy (SABHT), Fiona enlisted the help of national charity the Amethyst Trust – which teaches massage therapists on how to safely treat clients with cancer - to provide the specialist training.
“As therapists we want to be able to offer our services to everyone who can benefit from it,” says Fiona.
“In our industry, there are a lot of myths around massage being a ‘no no’ for people living with cancer and we wanted to offer local therapists the chance to become certified in specialist cancer massage so they don’t have to say no anymore.”
The course sold out quickly, with participants requiring a Level 3 massage qualification to take part, and Fiona hopes to host further courses so more therapists can offer treatments to those with cancer.
As therapists we want to be able to offer our services to everyone who can benefit from it.
Those attending learned practical skills around talking to patients and ensuring those who’d had surgeries were comfortable. In addition, therapists gain a comprehensive insurance package to ensure they’re fully covered when treating clients.
For Nicola Nicoll of EnFlique Beauty Perth, the accreditation gives her the confidence to comfortably treat her clients with cancer.
“I understand how much massage can benefit not only the body but the mind. It promotes well-being and allows the mind to relax. It’s my belief that anyone living with cancer is more than entitled to enjoy massage,” she said.
“The course helped me gain an insight into how to really help clients find some sanctuary at a time that can be extremely difficult and challenging. Clients comfort is paramount and being able to position my clients correctly is so very important.”
Julie Speed, director of the Amethyst Trust said it was important myths surrounding whether massage was safe whilst undergoing cancer needed to be dispelled.
“The reality is that it is perfectly safe it adaptations are made. Recent research shows that during 2016, one in three people were diagnosed with cancer so it’s really important salons are able to offer amazing benefits of massage therapy and to treat those clients safely and effectively.”
Accredited Salons include:
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