Complementary therapies at Worthing Hospital

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What is this information about?

This information is about the complementary therapies available to people who have had a cancer diagnosis. It explains: 

• what complementary therapies are 
• how complementary therapies may help you 
• who can book to have the complementary therapies sessions
• how many sessions you can have 
• how to book sessions 
• the different types of complementary therapy sessions that you can have 
• some other things you need to know about the sessions 
• what further help is available from our Complementary Therapists and other sources 

Why have I been given this information?

You have been given this information because complementary therapies may improve your wellbeing if you have had a diagnosis of cancer.  

It will help you to: 

• find out about the complementary therapies we offer and decide whether you would like to try them
• know what to expect from your complementary therapy sessions.

What is complementary therapy?

Complementary therapies are therapies you can have alongside your current medical care. They may ‘complement’ (add to the benefit of) your treatment and make you feel better by increasing your feeling of wellbeing.

The complementary therapies that we offer are gentle and can be adapted to suit your needs.

How might having complementary therapies help me? 

Complementary therapies aim to:

• help you to relax 
• make you feel less anxious 
• help you to sleep better 
• reduce symptoms such pain and feeling sick (nausea).

What do I need to know about the sessions?

Anyone in the Sussex area who has had a diagnosis of cancer (and sometimes their carers or close family) can have complementary therapy sessions. This includes people who are having chemotherapy and radiotherapy.  

We offer sessions to people who are staying in hospital for their care (inpatients), people who come to the day unit, and outpatients.  

If you are unsure about whether complementary therapies are right for you, we are happy to talk about this with you.

Complementary therapy sessions: 

• are free of charge (we offer six sessions). 
• take place at the Amberley Unit, Worthing Hospital. Patients staying on Balcombe ward or who are at the Amberley unit for treatment may also be able to have therapy sessions on a Monday. 
• usually last for around 45 minutes 
• can be booked weekly, every two weeks or monthly depending on us having sessions available.
• to book sessions, ask in the Macmillan Centre or email the mailbox in the contact details at the end of this information.  We will ask you to complete a form about you and how you are. Please bring it to your first session. 

Your therapist will talk with you about this and adapt the sessions to meet your needs as far as possible.

If I cannot come to any of my therapy session appointments, what should I do?

Please phone the Macmillan Centre or email the site you are due to attend as soon as possible using the contact details at the end of this leaflet.  This is so we can offer the appointment to someone else who needs our service. 

If you have to cancel an appointment, we will be happy to book another one for you to replace it. 

Which therapy do you offer?

We offer massage therapy and ‘Restore’ oncology (cancer) scar massage therapy.

What is massage Therapy?

In massage therapy, the therapist manipulates (for example strokes, kneads or taps) the soft tissues of your body. These include your skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Gentle massage can help:

• to feel calmer and less stressed 
• to sleep better 
• to reduce the feelings of pain that you have 
• to improve blood flow around your body (your circulation) and relieve muscle tension.

Your therapist will:

• talk with you to find out what will be the right type of massage therapy for you 
• use your input to tailor a treatment plan for you.

What is ‘Restore’ oncology scar massage therapy?

Oncology Scar Massage Therapy

This type of massage is designed to treat scar tissue, fibrosis (which happens when scar tissue grows too much or hardens) and adhesions. An adhesion is a band of scar tissue that joins (sticks together) two surfaces of the body that should usually be separate. 

If you have scars left by an operation or procedure scar massage can:

• make changes to scars (on the surface of the skin and to adhesions or fibrosis in the tissue under the skin) that boost healing 
• reduce symptoms such as pain or the scarred area feeling over-sensitive 
• improve your body’s movement and flexibility in the area which is scarred. This could include reducing the feeling of ‘pulling’ or tightness around the scar as you move. 
• make scars appear less severe. This might include a scar looking less puckered. 
• reduce the ‘cording’ that can happen if you have had an operation on your lymph nodes. Cording is when you develop a tight band of scar tissue that can feel like a ‘string’, often under the skin of your inner arm. This can make it uncomfortable to move your arm.

Scar massage is for anyone affected by cancer who has: 

• had an operation or procedure between at least six and twelve weeks ago 
• a wound or scar where the scab has healed and fallen off without any wound infection 
• been affected by a scar even if the scar is not recent.

How else might you be able to help my wellbeing?

We may be able to:

• give you a free Mindfulness Activity Booklet. This has creative colouring and breathing exercises you can try that may help you to relax and feel calmer. Ask for your copy in the Macmillan Information and Support Centre.
• Give you an ‘Aroma Stick’. This contains a blend of essential oils which may help to reduce anxiety and nausea and help you to sleep.

Please contact the Complementary Therapy Coordinator for further information

I would like to donate to the Complementary Therapies Service. How can I do this?

Complementary Therapies are provided free to anyone affected by a cancer diagnosis in the Sussex area.  

All the sessions are funded by charitable donations and supported by My University Hospitals Sussex charity. 

We gratefully accept all donations. If you would like to donate, please make cheques payable to “Complementary Therapies”. If you prefer you can donate through the ‘My UHS’ Charity donations page.

Please tell them you would like your donation to go to Complementary Therapies. You do not have to donate to the service in order use it.

Gift Aid.

The Gift Aid Scheme increases the value of your donation at no extra cost to you. For every £1 you give, the government will add 25p. If you would like to register for Gift Aid and are a taxpayer, please ask for a form which just needs your name, address and signature. Once completed, all future donations will also be covered by the scheme. 

Thank you for any donations that you choose to make.