What_You

Supporting Quality Of Life for Children and Adults

What You Say

The following is a small selection of the letters we receive from patients who have received complementary therapies whilst having chemotherapy:

When in December 2000 I discovered I had relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, I was distraught, I felt that I had gone through all that pain and suffering the previous year in vain, and felt just about void of any hope or positive thoughts whatsoever.
My mother and father where very worried obviously. But more so I think, because I had never been so down, the times before I always managed to keep my chin slightly pointing upwards and faced up to the disease with a strong will and belief that the medicine would make me better. While appreciating the work that the medical staff have so tirelessly put in, I felt so hopeless within myself when it returned.
On this re-admission I received Bio-energy and was also taught meditation & visualisation techniques that have empowered me to feel I am helping myself and to play an active part in my own recovery.
The work we have done together has helped to eradicate negative thoughts, pain and angst that usually accompanies chemotherapy sessions and turned it into an almost positive experience!
I am only too pleased to tell anyone who is interested how thoroughly worthwhile the therapy is, not only in accompanying the treatment for AML but for a total feeling of a healthy well being and a positive future.

"I am only too pleased to tell anyone who is interested how thoroughly worthwhile the therapy is."

I am writing this because I want to pass on my gratitude for introducing me to Bio-energy & meditation techniques. It has changed my attitude to life, especially with my leukaemia. I was an inpatient on my 2nd course of Chemotherapy (after a relapse) in the Ruth Myles Unit. I was sceptical, but I gave it a go - and I am glad I did. It has cleared my head - about how I felt about my cancer. I'm not so tense or anxious about even simple things. I practise the meditation and relaxation techniques at home, and I now have more patience with my son.
I've cleared headaches with it and can control my panic attacks better by using the breathing exercises. It gives me such a sense of calm.
I would definitely recommend it to other patients, it would be excellent as part of the treatment. It has helped me to recover and look forward, which I found difficult to do before.

I have recently completed my fifth course of chemotherapy, having been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.
Each course of chemotherapy brought with it a variety of side effects. I suffered from rashes all over my body, vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, infections, stomach cramps, internal bleeding and bone pains. All of these side effects were immensely difficult to cope with, particularly when I was neutropenic. I was placed in protective isolation to recover, which took me between 2 - 5 weeks following each course. The isolation was very difficult to cope with because I was cut off from people and not allowed out of the room.
In addition to all of this, there is also the emotional state I found myself in, trying to come to terms with my diagnosis and worrying about the future.
During the 3rd course of chemotherapy I experienced severe stomach cramps, which were not controllable with drugs. I was offered a session in Bio-energy. I found the pain was greatly relieved and I was much calmer and more relaxed. I continued, both during my stays in St George's and since my final discharge to have the sessions regularly. The aim of the session is to rebalance the body's energies and bring a sense of calmness. We use creative visualisation techniques as well to relax the body and slip into a really calming frame of mind.
I found this really helpful in dealing with the feelings I had about being in isolation. It was great to feel good for a while rather than confined and restricted. It was also another source of contact, which counteracts the loneliness I sometimes felt from isolation. Above all though, the sessions revitalised me. I felt 'energised', which was marvellous as I had continually felt lethargic and tired for so long.

"I found the pain was greatly relieved and I was much calmer and more relaxed."

There aren't any drugs which can help you deal with the feelings you experience due to the illness, but the complementary therapy sessions really helped me come to terms with the harshness of chemotherapy and the difficulties of isolation.

The whole reflexology experience is also extremely relaxing and several times I fell into a deep, calm sleep. I found that in addition it really helped with the feelings of nausea that I was experiencing.

My experience tells me that it is a wonderful thing to be able to offer Complementary Therapies to cancer patients. It really benefited me and made my recovery quicker. It helped me to cope with the side-effects of the treatment by relaxing me and giving me a sense of calm and control.

I sincerely hope that you are able to secure funding to make these Complementary Therapies a permanent feature of cancer treatment.

I believe that if it wasn't for my supportive sessions and what they helped me physically and mentally overcome, my body might not have dealt with the medical procedures as well as it did.

I received 2 types of complementary therapies. The first was reflexology, and I absolutely love foot massage so this for me was so relaxing, but it also helped mildly target pains I had at the time. Second was bio-energy, which absolutely amazed me. It helped me physically and emotionally but most of all it gave me a new outlook and helped me realise what I wanted to do with my life if I made it through my illness.

"I sincerely hope that you are able to secure funding to make these Complementary Therapies a permanent feature of cancer treatment."

I want to thank you for introducing me to reflexology. It had never occurred to me before I was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia that complementary therapies could be helpful, but I can honestly say it has become the highlight of my week and has even made the isolation and treatment bearable. It relaxes me deeply and I usually fall asleep during the session. When I wake I feel refreshed as if I've had a good night's sleep, which is such a gift these days.

The following statements were received following an independent audit of the omplementary therapy service in Haemato-Oncology, 2005.

Totally wonderful. As I have been in here 3 months, and it helps to keep me calm and I look forward to it every week.

(patient with aplastic anaemia who received reflexology)

I was very impressed. I could not believe how much calmer and peaceful I felt the whole night and the next day. Before the treatment I was feeling very low I was afraid my transplant was failing; I was exhausted with worry. Now I just feel back in balance again. Extraordinary.

(Bone marrow transplant patient who had bio-energy therapy)

The Bio energy managed to lift my mood in just ½ hour (and I'm still using the meditation techniques and am happy 2 days later) Please offer more. (AML patient post bone marrow transplant who had bio-energy & meditation)

Found it an extremely supportive and positive experience. Helped me relax.

(patient with secondary cancer who had a massage)