Massage with Cancer
When you have cancer you have to contend with so many life-altering symptoms, from the disease itself, side effects associated with the treatments used and also in the post treatment, recovery and remission stages.
For decades, evidence has been building that massage can provide physical and emotional benefits with no adverse effects for people at all stages of the disease, treatment and in recovery. It can alleviate pain, improve sleep, ease anxiety and depression, reduce the length of hospital stays and even improve clinical outcomes.
Supporting people going through cancer is a privilege and a joy and an area I have been involved in since my uncle’s diagnosis over a decade ago.
The key thing about oncology massage is adapting the treatment to suit you on that particular day. This may involve treating or avoiding certain areas of your body, finding the most comfortable position for you to be able to relax or altering the nature of the touch to avoid putting additional strain on your body.
I have 12 years of experience in working with people with cancer (primarily at North Devon Hospice) and am a certified Oncology Massage Therapist so all of that comes naturally to me, as does working round patches, dressings, PICC lines, wounds etc. This enables you to feel comfortable and relax in the assurance that you are in safe, knowledgeable hands.
I offer a free 15 minute discovery call to discuss any queries or concerns you have, just get in touch
Cancer treatment can be de-personalising and disempowering and it is easy to lose sight of the person themselves. They still have relationships, responsibilities and all the normal stresses everybody faces. Those things don’t just go away (in many ways they can become more difficult) and, on top of all that, they have to deal with the disease itself.
But with massage, I have an opportunity to create a space where you are not defined by your cancer. Yes, I need to know about it, the treatment you are having and symptoms you are dealing with so that I can ensure my treatment is adapted appropriately but, when it comes to the treatment itself, the first question I ask is “How are you doing today?” not “How is the cancer?” or “How is the treatment going?”
The answer may be “I feel dreadful. I had chemo 5 days ago and I’ve been exhausted and nauseous ever since. Today is the first day I’ve managed to get out of bed”.
However, it could quite easily be “I’m at my wits end. My son and daughter in law are having relationship difficulties and I’m trying to support them as best I can, looking after my grandson more often and trying not to take sides but it’s just so hard”.
Or (and these are all real scenarios) “My neck is really sore. I was sitting watching TV and my 6 year old son decide to dive over the back of the sofa and landed on me, knocking me forward and on to the floor. It hasn’t been right since.”
The answer to that question leads straight on to the second “What can I do to help?” That might be some focused work to ease a specific pain that is unrelated to the disease or treatment, it could be helping to reduce some swelling in your legs which has come about since you started chemo, or it could be just helping you relax and leave life’s challenges to one side for a while.
With all massage, but especially in this field, I treat the person, not the body.