Imagine arriving at a spa, robed up in a fluffy hug, ready for an hour’s worth of relaxation only to be told that you won’t be receiving your much needed massage because you have cancer.
Perhaps you have this incredulous disease, in which case it’s highly likely you’ve experienced this scenario in real life.
With today being World Cancer Day it seems fitting to shine a much-needed light on this issue – one that is far more common than you could believe.
I, for one, can tell you just how mortifying it feels to be turned away – or in some cases, I kid you not, to be offered a pedicure instead.
I’ve had advanced breast cancer (that’s the incurable, won’t go away, here forever like a bad smell type) for 11 years, so I’ve had my fair share of awkward moments with therapists who refuse to carry out massages on people like me for fear of allegedly ‘spreading my cancer’ and in turn being sued.
I ask you to read that sentence again.
Who could have thought that while some of the cleverest scientists still try to understand this disease and develop treatments to stop cancer killing us, there are people who believe they possess the ability to spread cancer cells simply through the power of touch. Let me unpick this silliness for you.
You might first be thinking, ‘well, what are the experts saying?’, and I can assure you that Cancer Research UK declare there is no clinical evidence to suggest that massage can spread or worsen someone’s cancer. Macmillan Cancer Support even go so far as to tell us that ‘some studies of people with cancer suggest that massage therapy reduced symptoms, such as pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue’.
I can personally testify to that and was even offered massage inside the walls of my hospital oncology clinic from day one.
Both also agree, as would anyone with common sense, that areas of the body that have been treated with radiation, or have cancer or lymphatic issues, should be taken in to consideration and that adaptations should be made or the patient’s clinical team should be consulted.
I tried to understand where this ‘don’t touch cancer patients’ theory began by speaking to Marc Innes, the Principle of the Natural School of Therapies. With a background in the NHS he knows the well-meaning intent.
Since some cancer has the ability to travel through the blood stream, and since massage activates your circulation, there was a thought many moons ago that massage should be avoided.
In other words, a conclusion that is rooted in assumption and paranoia and nothing more.
When Googling course content for the most basic level of massage therapy in training schools, I struggle to find ANY mention of cancer – a disease that affects one in two of us, so the chances of a newly trained therapist treating a client with said disease during their career are stupidly high.
But not all therapy schools are singing from the same hymn sheet.
Some, like Dave Taylor of Dave Taylor massage, reassure me that massaging cancer patients is covered in his most basic training. ‘Even though cancer can be a very complicated condition,’ he explains, ‘it’s very straight forward for me to teach students how to approach massaging clients with cancer and how to recognise when it’s OK to proceed with appropriate massage therapy, or when to seek further advice from the specialist who is looking after the client’s medical care.’
However, others I speak to defiantly tell me it’s a ‘total contraindication’ and that specialist oncology training needs to be undertaken as a sort of ‘bolt-on’ course.
Thankfully, people like Marc Innes are fighting for change. As the head trainer of an organisation called Made for Life, who train spa therapists how to massage cancer patients, he helps unravel the fear that was instilled in them at school. A few of these training organisations now exist but it’s at the top where change really needs to happen.
Marc also sits on a steering group whose mission is to change the industry examining board’s stance on cancer massage, so that all students in future will be trained from the outset. I couldn’t be happier to hear this.
I’ve also heard of and experienced spas and therapists that are already enlightened.
Large scale resorts such as Centre Parcs, to family run businesses like Ragdale Hall in Leicestershire and Saunton Sands Hotel in Devon cater for people like me – not to mention easier-on-the-wallet (aka free) locations such as Maggie’s Cancer centres.
Meanwhile, independent therapists who are forced to refuse cancer patients due to age-old policies can now get reasonably priced specialist cancer massage top-ups to their insurance through the Amethyst Trust. In short, the industry is running out of excuses to turn me away.
What I know to be true: cancer patients, in general, aren’t coming to a spa to receive a heavy handed sports massage and the impact of gentle touch therapy can be profound. After a cancer diagnosis our bodies can feel alien, we may even feel a sense of betrayal. Massage helps us to re-connect.
After 11 years I expected attitudes to have changed, but I will keep the faith that in the near future my body will be treated with the same respect as my very polished toe nails and baby bottom skinned heels.
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