Why?

Research Suggests

• Skilled touch is beneficial at nearly every stage of the cancer experience, during hospitalization, the pre- or post-operative period, in the outpatient clinic, during chemotherapy and radiation, recovery at home, remission, or cure and in the end stages of life.*
• Recommended by:
  - American Cancer Society
  - Society for Integrative Oncology
  - LiveStrong
• Benefits during treatment:
  - Reduces short-term pain, anxiety, fatigue, feelings of isolation
  - Enhances mood
  - Contributes to better rest
  - Improves perception of treatment
  - May decrease nausea
  - Reduces anxiety and depression
  
• Benefits post treatment:
  - Restores a feeling of wholeness to the body
  - Increases  range of motion and suppleness to areas affected by surgery and radiation
  - Stress reduction/ restorative rest
  - Pain reduction**
  
• Offered at many cancer centers:         
  - Moore's Cancer Center at UCSD
  - MD Anderson Cancer Center
  - Oregon Health & Science University
  - Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
  - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  

*Gayle MacDonald,  MS, LMT, Author of “Medicine Hands:     Massage for People Living with Cancer”
**Society for Oncology Massage