It affects everyone!

It affects everyone!
Three Baskets of Asheville

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Gentle Touch Massage, Cancer and Gratitude

This past weekend I had the privilege of attending a three-day workshop entitled "Massage for People Living with Cancer". It took place at the Onondaga School of Therapeutic Massage in Rochester, New York. It is the first of many workshops, and many hours of training required to become oncology certified in massage.

What I experienced there was inspiring - I spent three very full days, 8 hours a day, in a room with 20 other bodyworkers. We were all there for one purpose - to learn how to best provide massage and comfort to those who are suffering, or who have suffered with cancer. I learned how cancer affects people not only physically, but emotionally, and spiritually. I learned that the gift of Gentle Touch is one of the greatest gifts we can share with those who suffer with cancer - from the first diagnosis to the last treatment and beyond. Gentle massage helps to maintain quality of life, positive spirits and, most importantly, hope and dignity.

We were honored to have a guest come in and share her body and experience with us. She had a double mastectomy with no reconstructive surgery. She courageously showed us the scars on her chest, and spoke of her emotional scars that were not so visible to our eyes. She shared how massage has helped her to cope through her treatment, and how it continues to help her cope as a cancer survivor today.

At the end of the workshop, we were all able to work with someone who is, or was, suffering from cancer. I had a moving experience massaging a woman who had cancer in her left breast. She went through chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. She still lives with the very real fear of reoccurance. The best gift I received from her was her sharing with me from her heart - she told me how she lives each moment as fully and completely as she possibly can, and how she has found a level of peace and joy she has never had before as a result of her gratitude for life. What a profound lesson for us all.