Oncology massage: Easing the pain of others

Posted on 16 July, 2015

Oncology massage is gaining traction in Australia, as more people begin to realise the benefits it has on the wellbeing of cancer patients. As someone who has seen a close family member battle with cancer, Kaylia Payne was interested to learn more about what oncology massage can offer and chats to the Managing Director of Oncology Massage Limited (OM Ltd), Kylie Ochsenbein...

With a focus on client comfort, relaxation and gentle mindful touch, oncology massage is the practice of massage on those who have been diagnosed with or in remission from cancer.

“Practitioners pay specific attention to pressure, site and position, and creating an environment where a client, who is often in treatment for cancer, feels safe, relaxed and has time for themselves without pain,” Kylie explains.

Kylie first became involved with OM Ltd in 2009 assisting with the organisation’s administration. In 2013, the organisation became a registered charity and created the board of directors. It was Kylie’s mother, Eleanor Oyston, who was the founder of oncology massage in Australia; while semi-retired, she still works for the organisation in a mostly unpaid capacity – acting as mentor, practitioner and research coordinator of the group.

As Kylie says, it is the passion and commitment of the organisation that has kept it running.

“We receive no funding at all and have achieved what we have by ensuring we are a not for profit in every sense of the word. Experts in the field have volunteered their time, livelihood and passion to help us along the way.”

They have done so because they believe in the benefits of oncology massage, and after talking to Kylie it’s not hard to see why. Research conducted in 2004 by Cassileth and Vickers found that oncology massage helped to reduce the side effects of cancer treatment, and also had a positive impact on the symptoms of disease; clients noticed lower fatigue, reduced depression and anxiety, less nausea and improved pain levels.

While OM Ltd have achieved a lot in the past few years, Kylie says that in order to take the next step they need more hands on deck to increase awareness, help with research activities and fund the maintenance of the nationally standardised oncology massage training program.

“We need a patron who can use their profile to help us raise money and awareness,” she says. “We need to get into regional areas and train those therapists to assist people with cancer who are returning home after treatment. We need oncology massage to be commonplace in the support care landscape for all Australians with a diagnosis of cancer,” Kylie concludes.

Get involved!

Oncology Massage Australia is having their annual conference in Canberra from 27-29 October at the Mercure Hotel Canberra. Find out more here.

There are plenty of other ways to support OM Ltd including:

Sponsor a Massage Therapist

The Oncology Massage qualification will cost a massage therapist $1850.00. Community groups can offer a partially funded sponsorship for the tuition fee, for a therapist in your area. Community groups can also offer to fully fund a therapists’ tuition in return for services to the community or the cancer centre in their area. In-hospital oncology massage training costs are $3370 per therapist, and run at the Olivia Newton John Cancer and Wellness Centre. This course facilitates the integration of OMTs into the medical setting. Sponsorship of a therapist to complete this training will equip them for employment in the hospital in your area.

Sponsor a course in your area

Any assistance with course funding, by contributing to the courses costs, means that OM Ltd can get to a wider area across the country. We can educate from two to 12 therapists at one course, and with full sponsorship (up to $3500/course) would be able to offer therapists a half price tuition fee. This would allow us to offer courses in regional or rural areas where there is a need in the community that might not normally have training

Fund oncology massage therapy within a medical setting

When hospitals are setting up to offer complementary therapies, funding is often needed to fit-out the facility. Electric massage tables, linen and therapist resources are some of the things that Rotary could assist their local health service with, so that any funding allocated to the complementary care service can benefit more clients.

Donate to OM Ltd

OM Ltd is a charity and not for profit training organisation, and we do not receive any government or private funding at this time.  We operate solely on course and membership fees, and the generosity of people who give us their time and expertise when we need it. Donations are tax deductable and are used primarily to increase our community awareness activities and to do course development work.  If you would like to donate, then this can be done either directly, or though our website.