WHERE ARE YOU GOING? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?The Journey and the Future of Oncology Massage

Lauren Muser Cates, CMTPresident, Society for Oncology Massage

Oncology massage is still in its infancy, but an

understanding of the need for and value of this work is

growing.

The need for an international network of experienced massage

therapists who can work safely and effectively with people affected

by cancer is clear.

A living education standard is the cornerstone of meeting that

need.

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

A roadmap…and a new era of specialty practice

were born…

Growing Knowledge, Growing Resources

2009

2004 2010

2001

Tracy Walton Isabel Adkins

Cheryl Chapman

Martha Menard

Jamie Elswick

Wendy Miner

…countless others known and unknown.

Gayle MacDonald

Eleanor Oyston

ONCOLOGY MASSAGE IS A LIVING THING.

WORK TO DO

It’s time for a bigger umbrella!

Australia• 30,000 (known) practicing MTs

• OMT has trained 800 nationwide

• 160+ registered with OMT

• 775,000 Australians living with cancer

United States• 280,000 (known) practicing MTs

• 8,000 have *some* oncology training

• 350 registered with S4OM

• 13.7 million Americans living with cancer

anyone (anywhere) affected by cancer (even remotely) knows about oncology massage and has a resource to refer to and/or knows where to find oncology massage locally

people who want oncology massage have access to it

oncology massage therapists feel supported, respected, challenged, educated, prepared

other allied health professionals look to the S4OM community as a resource and authority

S4OM VISION

CURRENT S4OM LEADERSHIP

Martha Menard, PhD, LMTVice President

• massage therapist• researcher, author,

educator• Georgetown

University Adjunct Faculty

VANCOUVER/ SOUTH

CAROLINA

Stacy Barden, LMTTreasurer

• massage therapist• private practice• KinesioTape & MLD/CDT• Nat’l Lymphedema

Network• Peregrine Institute

graduate

ILLINOIS

Lauren Cates, CMTPresident

• massage therapist• private & hospital

practice• educator• Hospice practice

VIRGINIA

Executive Committee

Julie Streeter, LMTSecretary

• registered nurse• massage therapist• educator• NWHSU adjunct

professor• Summit Committee

chair

MINNESOTA

CURRENT S4OM LEADERSHIP

Dale Healey, DC, PhD

• chiropractor• massage school

administrator, educator• COMTA Commissioner• Best Practices Cmte;

Massage Therapy Foundation

MINNESOTA

Wendy Miner, LMT

• massage therapist• Hospital-based practice• Research participation• Yoga Student (lifelong)

NEW YORK

Patti Corscaden, LMT

• massage therapist• private practice• MLD practitioner• CranioSacral

practitioner• hospice practice

MAINE

MK Brennan, MS,RN, LMBT

• Reg. Nurse (Masters)• massage therapist• Past AMTA Nat’s Pres• Past ED Amer Polarity

Therapy Assn• Clinical Work Group

Hospital-based MT WG• (ACCAHC)

NORTH CAROLINA

S4OM COMMITTEES

• Education

• Outreach

• Social Media

• Website

• Governance

• Finance

• Development & Fundraising

• Summit

2013 & 2014website grows with resources & private community areas

Preferred Provider numbers approaching 400 with clear regional strongholds committees grow

LinkedIn & Facebook groups with thousands of fans and followers worldwide3rd Healing Summit over 200 attendees from 5 countries

National Visioning Conference(Hooray!)

2010new website

membership 200+REPs & committees

cumbersome membership process discussedboard continues to grow and change

continue to recognize MTs who come through alternate training routes2nd Healing Summit 180 attendees from 3 countries; more than half are new to S4OM

2008non-profit charter

membership opens9 founding directors (MTs)

limited websitetraining + write-ups“write us a letter”

MANAGING PROGRESS

AN ARMY OF LOVE

FOUNDATIONS

ProfessionalismGenerosity

Community

standards of practice

strive for excellence

blaze the trail

humility

curiosity

inclusiveness

creativity

people before profession

global network

invested practitioners

easing the journey through cancer

HOSPITAL BASED MASSAGE THERAPY

US HOSPITALS4,000-5,000 hospitals across the US

100+ reported to S4OM as having hospital-based massage therapy

some funded

many volunteer

many contractors

few paid staff

likely hundreds more unknown

…most are tenuous

…limited awareness of each other/no collaboration

Non-medically trained massage therapists

A HERCULEAN TASK

• a big deficit• starting from scratch• tacking knowledge/info on• skills vs. information• challenged to create an integrated

understanding of:~ roles~ disease~ care systems~ balance of presence & “clinical

benefit”

LIMITED OPTIONS

MTs make a commitment to get proper training, and then….

1. volunteer2. very part-time3. never connect with oncology community4. approach a hospital5. take more training6. rinse, lather, repeat

lots of volunteers• paid,

integrated therapists/teams

Balance =

careers and reach

No Man’s Land

Continued Undercover/Elite Status

Where’s the tipping point?

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT.

Section

2706EHB’sCommunity Healt

h Team

s

Major shifts

in massage

therapy

education

Palliative Care movement

Massage

Therapy’s

identity

crisis

Increasing end

of life care

interest/growing

“Baby Boomer”

demograph

ic

Opportunities & Challenges

Janet Kahn, PhD, LMTPresidential appointee (lifetime)

Member, Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health

Senior Policy Advisor, Integrative Healthcare Policy Consortium

EDUCATION STANDARDS WORK GROUP

Evidence & CompetencyCreate and promote educational standards for oncology massage that are based on evidence and competency.

Lifelong LearningPromote lifelong learning in oncology massage based on ever-expanding knowledge and experience.

Career PathsRaise awareness of oncology massage as a specialty application and of related standards of excellent practice to a level that creates employment opportunities for competent practitioners.

NATIONAL COALITION

OTHER IMPORTANT PARTNERSThe power of 5 disciplines as one:• naturopathic medicine• home-birth/entry level midwives• chiropractic• acupuncture and Oriental Medicine• massage therapy“Competencies for Optimal Practice in Integrated Environments”Analyzing the landscape to maximize effort

• improve the lives of people affected by cancer• evidence-based practice• naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, MDs, massage

therapists, nurses, researchers• education focus in line with S4OM

CAM grafting - Add “complementary and alternative” tools to a

disease-focused system

Transformative - creating a system with a health and

wellness focus

MAINSTREAM!!

A SLOW SHIFT

ONCOLOGY MASSAGE: THE BEST KEPT SECRET

nurses doctors clients

massage

schools

cancer orgs

hospitals

Everyone you know, everywhere you go

NEXT STEPS

EducateSee the fieldCapitalize on (and push) shiftsCollaborateSpread the word

ONLY FROM THE HEART CAN YOU TOUCH THE SKY. -RUMI