Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/72103
THE PROGRESSION OF ONCOLOGY MASSAGE The first and perhaps most horrendous mistake occurred in 2000 when I had just begun teaching continuing education classes for private practitioners after six years of being in the hospital environment. One of the clients who attended the clinic that weekend developed lymphedema because the therapist massaged too forcefully around the scapula in the treated quadrant. The swelling was evident within hours, much to the client's displeasure. Even though she played a part in the process by badgering the therapist for more pressure, the responsibility ultimately lay with us as professionals. Suffice it to say I woke up quickly to the fact that I needed to know more about how to adapt massage for those at risk for lymphedema. I learned fast and made immediate changes in my curriculum. This was my initiation into the complexity of working with patients who had finished treatment and felt no adjustments were necessary for their sessions. To find solace in what happened, I had to translate it into something meaningful. I had to see the way in which it would serve the greater good by speeding up the learning curve for everyone I taught or influenced. Because of that one incident, I surmised that thousands of therapists are now wiser about how to adjust their techniques for the person at risk for lymphedema and many, many thousands of clients have had safer massages because of it. Cancer patients literally entrust themselves into our hands. I want their trust to be warranted. They are often vulnerable and need therapists who can meet them where they are. THE NEXT STEP Many years ago, one of the challenges for those teaching oncology massage was to eliminate the myth that "massage is contraindicated because it will spread cancer." The metastasis hurdle has mostly been cleared, thanks to knowledge gained from genetic and biochemical research. There is another goal I would now like to work toward—basic training for all massage students in oncology massage so that the real issues are understood. Cancer patients literally entrust themselves to our hands. I want their trust to be warranted. They are often vulnerable and need therapists who can meet them where they are—whether it is being at risk for lymphedema, or with fears about being touched, or in pain. This article won't be a how-to that gives clinical instruction. All of that is available in other places. Instead, this will be a why-to article—why all massage students need to be trained at a basic level in their core curriculum to work with those affected by cancer treatment. Please note that throughout this article I use the language people affected by cancer treatment rather than people living with cancer. It isn't just clients in treatment who have side effects: many people, although in remission and no longer in treatment, are still affected by side effects from the interventions. The stories here include outcomes that could mostly have been prevented with the right adjustments. My fear in taking the scared straight approach is that I'll sound like the Irish mother who admonishes her children to behave or the boogeyman will come take them away. We've already used the boogeyman approach with the metastasis issue. It isn't an effective solution. However, occasionally, there are times when it is appropriate to say, "Don't do that, someone will get hurt!" LEARNING THROUGH STORIES A couple of months after finishing treatment for breast cancer, "Marion" went for a massage. She was booked with a practitioner who didn't know how to work with someone affected by cancer treatment. The therapist, lacking in confidence, even made a face in Marion's presence that showed her discomfort. She told Marion that she didn't think she could massage her 34 massage & bodywork may/june 2011