Travel to Africa

Medicine Hands: Massage Therapy for People with Cancer

Format: Paperback
Author: Gayle MacDonald
ReleaseDate: 01 January, 2007
Publisher: Findhorn Press
Rating:

Excellent book, excellent instructor
I own the first edition and had devoured it cover-to-cover; this edition is a huge step up from that wonderful book. The non-profit educational institution that I chair just hosted a three-day training for massage therapists with Gayle, and we were the first group to be taught using this newest edition of her book. Gayle dispels myths about cancer and massage with science, and also gives the reader and practitioner many new tools and ways of working with people living with cancer, either preparing for treatment, undergoing it, and also for those several years out of treatment.

The primary thing that I learned was just how much I *didn't* know about the cautions of people undergoing or who have undergone treatment for cancer. Both the training and the book have given me confidence that I can *safely* touch and work with every single person with compassion and gentleness. Her book also gives me a sharper understanding of working more intelligently with my clients who do not have cancer but who may be in a medically frail state, such as those in Hospice with whom we work in our practice.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this author, her book, and her teaching. This is a "must-buy" for all massage therapists and for anyone who is a professional touch therapist.

Helpful
It has an excellent chapter on massage and metastases that every body worker and physician working with cancer patients should read, all necessary information on precautions during all stages, and tons of good advice on everything from working in a hospital setting to working on friends and family of the patient. I got this book when I was in massage school, writing a short essay on massage and ovarian cancer patients. I will definitely refer to it whenever I treat clients with a history of cancer, or work in a medical setting.

A wealth of information...
I found out about it through one of the Massage magazines and I can honestly say it was one of the best and most important purchaces I made since I graduted from massage school in 1999. I found this book to be a true inspiration for me.

I have used it as a reference while doing volunteer as an LMT on the oncology unit at my local hospital and it was extremely helpful. Staff and students alike were very impressed with it when I showed it to them. The layout of this book is very user friendly and the appendixes and references in the back were excellent.

I personally feel it's a good ideal to get further training related to the oncology in the clincal enviroment as far as massage concerned. Yet this book was also very clear as about the limitaions and contraindications which made me feel at ease. This book is an excellent starting point for thoes wishing to give care to people facing Cancer and is quite thorough in all topic covered. It can help the therapist, student therapist and/or caregiver understand the challenges and rewards of providing the gift of touch at a time when it maybe needed it most.

Related products:
click image or link for details on these Africa travel books.