Information central for
tracking major additions to the website,
especially People & Ideas
and Therapists' Resources.
There are also periodic additions to OM
Research.
Create Your Own Oncology Massage Brochure (9/1)
Create an oncology massage brochure tailored to your practice using S4OM
materials. Here is a very nice example from Lucy Allen, LMBT, S4OM.
The Second Oncology Massage Healing Summit (8/4)
Read Tracy Walton's review of this year's meeting in Massage Today. She begins, "In May, I attended one of my favorite conferences of all time ...". She concludes, "It was an honor to take part in this gathering. I breathed in all of the good will and let it soak into my whole being, returning to my work with renewed energy and inspiration.".
Why Hospice? (8/4)
Health care practitioners in general and physicians in particular often do
not understand the logic of hospice care. In this remarkable article
from The New Yorker a surgeon explains what he has learned about hospice.
The article, at 12,000 words, is not your typical webpage - but, it is well
worth the time. You will likely say to someone, "Wow, listen to
this...." [Click
here for an interview with the author on NPR's Fresh Air.]
S4OM Blog (7/27)
S4OM's Blog is titled "Oncology Massage Musings". It is a place for oncology massage therapists to share, collaborate, argue, agree and learn about the work we do. Add to a discussion in progress or propose a new one.
Check it out ....
Research Classics (7/8)
There are a number of research classics, both old and new, that are of
particular importance. The
growth of massage
therapy research makes it difficult for a newcomer to find them and to
appreciate their importance. Here, in no particular order, are a number of
classic research reports that are often cited or quoted by leading
instructors and practitioners, in the media and within S4OM.
Oncology Massage Instructor Class Schedules (6/28)
All S4OM recognized instructors, all class schedules: now available in one place.
Radiation Fibrosis and the Risk of
Lymphedema (6/6)
Cancer patients who have had radiation are at life-long increased risk of
lymphedema . There is evidence that the risk often increases, not
declines, as the years go by. The page concludes. "When
receiving massage, patient/clients can reduce the risk of precipitating
lymphedema by seeing massage therapists who are trained to make the
necessary adjustments for a lymphatic system damaged by radiation."
S4OM Partners with Amazon (5/17)
Amazon has accepted S4OM as a commercial partner. This means that S4OM receives a 4 - 8% commission on everything you buy through this link, at no cost to you. Thank you!
S4OM Bookstore
(5/16)
We are pleased to announce a bookstore dedicated to oncology massage
We have books and CDs for the therapist and the patient. Suggest
your favorite books to be included - email
webmaster@s4om.org.
Right (or Obligation) to Refuse (5/14)
Recently an ethical massage therapist with no oncology massage training was terminated by a massage chain when she refused a client in current treatment for cancer. This position paper outlines our thoughts.
Healing Summits (5/4)
The 2010 Healing Summit was a great success. Pictures and a Massage
Magazine articles have been posted, as has a link to the much requested text of the
closing ceremony. The 2013 Summit
is already in the planning stages. Read about Summits past, present
and future.
S4OM Available in Other Languages (4/23)
Using Google's translation service, s4om.org content is available in 53 languages. Since Google translates word for word, the resulting text is largely in English word order and some phrases and idioms do not translate well or at all. Even so, much of the meaning is clear. Moving your mouse over any snippet of translated text pops up the original English. Most, but not all, web links work inside the translation.
S4OM Tri-Fold Brochure
(4/19)
S4OM's new full color brochure tells the reader who we are, what we do and
why. It is targeted at cancer patients, massage therapists and the
general public. Everyone at the 2010 Healing Summit will receive a
complementary copy and additional copies will be available for purchase.
Soon thereafter, copies will be available to Professional Members for
purchase.
Student Membership Classification Added (4/15)
Current massage therapy students and those who have graduated but are not ready to apply as Professional or Associate Members are welcome as Student Members with a variety of benefits.
Massage Mind (4/7)
"How do I explain to people what happens on my massage table?"
Here is one therapist's answer to this common question.
Internet Video Resources (3/14)
There are innumerable videos on the web related to massage and cancer. Some good, some bad. Follow this link to the Volunteer Page and click on "500+ web videos". You might be inspired to volunteer to make sense of them for all of us.
Undertreated Cancer Stress is Far Too
Common (3/10)
This link on the Therapist Resources page leads to a very helpful screening
tool.
Common but Serious Rashes (3/10)
This link on the Therapist Resources page leads to a helpful Medscape slide show.
Healing Summit Tuition Scholarship Recipients Announced (2/10)
Google Alerts
News, Blog and Web Alerts Published by Google. S4OM information streams are generally scientifically oriented. This is an automatic news service from Google. (As is typical of the internet, sense and nonsense are mixed together.) If you find it useful, you can follow ours or set up your own. Results since June, 2009 are included.
Vitamin D and Cancer
Although the use of Vitamin D for the prevention and treatment of cancer
has not achieved the status of accepted medical practice, there is progress
on multiple fronts that suggests it will do so.
Calling Volunteers
S4OM is an all volunteer organization. Can you add your talents to help S4OM provide more and better service to the oncology massage community and our clients? Here is some of the current to-do list.
Healing Summit - Looking to
Share - Members Only (Password Required)
A listing of S4OM members looking to share driving or a room at the Healing
Summit.
Traffic Building on S4OM Website
The numbers of visitors and pages viewed on the S4OM website have exploded since our founding in 2007. Check out the details.
Interest in Oncology
Massage Exploding
An analysis of links returned by Google shows interest in oncology massage
increasing by a factor of 10 in just 5 years. New links are increasing
by 2+ million per year.
A Discussion of Heal vs Cure
The first topic of a new discussion forum is the difference between cure and heal. Click on this link for an introduction to the topic. Go to www.s4om.blogspot.com to add your two cents.
New S4OM Newsletter
The S4OM newsletter is published every few months - so it is always
about "What's New".
Massage, Moles and Melanoma - Of ABC's and Ugly Ducklings
Most cancer patients are at permanent risk for secondary malignancies. Because we regularly see our client's most-at-risk areas, we are in a position to flag suspicious moles for subsequent medical examination. This how-to may save a client's life.
Cancer Brain ?
Cancer patients and their oncologists have had a long standing difference of
opinion about the cause of chemobrain. Perhaps there is a larger
explanation.
The Essence of OM
One therapist and teacher's very moving take on what we bring to the table. (Reprinted from Massage Today.)
Axillary Web Syndrome/Cording
Many of us have seen this condition in breast cancer patients who have had axillary nodal disection. It looks like cords, stretched tight under the
skin, sometimes reaching from the axilla to the hand. Each cord is a
sclerotized lymphatic - which apparently is not always as benign as many
doctors assume. Read about it and its treatment in this nicely illustrated
article.
For Members Only - Elisabeth Josenhans, the German physiotherapist
who wrote the article above has kindly made her complete paper
"Physiotherapeutic treatment for axillary cord formation following breast
cancer surgery" available here in
English. She also has made two hands-on session videos available
here and
here.
Lymphedema Primer
The basics of identification and management for clinicians from the American Cancer Society. Oncology massage therapists should understand the signs, symptoms and risk factors associated with lymphedema. You may find this article to be slow going as it is jam packed with good information.
Media Relations Guide
Most oncology massage therapists need to deal with the media at one time or
another, whether opening a practice, completing training in a new
sub-specialty, or promoting a new hospital cancer massage program. This
media relations guide by S4OM member and media expert Jean VanEtten explains
the ABC's.
People & Ideas
Awards, Appointments, Oncology Developments, Massage News, and More. This is a compendium of items from all over which are of particular note to our community.
Reducing the Risk of
Lymphedema During and After Breast Cancer Treatment
Many breast cancer patients do not hear or remember what they may have been
told about lymphedema. Oncology massage therapists can play an important
role in following up to be sure patients process the information. This
article tells you and them what to watch for.
To BSE or Not to BSE? - That is the question.
Much is made in the media about breast self-exams (BSE) not being cost-effective/necessary/desirable. Our breast cancer clients are generally of a different opinion. At the American Society of Breast Surgeons 2009 meeting a report concluded , "Breast self-examination (BSE) is as accurate as mammography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at detecting new breast cancers in high-risk women." This issue is of particular interest to oncology massage therapists and our clients.
OM Research
Accelerates
There is an explosion of interest in and use of massage therapy as an
adjunct to traditional cancer treatments. Between the years 1900 and 1990
there were an average of 31 citations per year in the scientific literature
referring to cancer and massage or oncology and massage. From 2006 to 2008
there were 1370 per year. Here is a guide to keeping up.
Do I
need to glove for my own safety when massaging someone who is receiving or
has recently received chemotherapy?
Here is a way to think about this vexing issue.
What is oncology massage like for the therapist?
An elegant answer to this frequently asked question from our own Tracy
Walton. (Reprinted from Massage Today.)
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