The Power of Touch

It starts with a diagnosis.

Two dreaded words – it’s cancer.

A New You begins to emerge as you find your way around a world of medical tests and treatments. In support, all your friends and family embrace the new normal as their lives change with yours.  Everything starts to revolve around the Sick You. You miss the Well You. If you could only have that back, even if for only a while....

You can.

In an extraordinary partnership with Bill DaGiau of Annie’s Angels (www.anniesangels.net), Karen Drelick of Rejuvenations Professional Massage along with Aimee Solis of Aimee Nicole Esthetics, and Candie Wright of Serenity Meditation have established the multi-disciplinary, non-profit Rejuvenations Helping Hands Oncology Program (http://www.rejuvenationspt.com/oncology.html).

This program offers monthly massages, esthetic treatments, and meditation sessions FREE OF CHARGE. It is available to Rockingham and Strafford County residents who are receiving chemo or radiation treatments, those who are within a three month period of ending those treatments, and those currently preparing for/or recovering from cancer-related surgery. In addition, one primary caregiver of the oncology client can also receive a complimentary one-hour massage, soothing facial, and meditation class. All of the services are provided by professionals with oncology training.

Generally, programs like this take a long time to develop, test, monetize, and implement. Not so with Rejuvenations Helping Hands. Having had close involvement with cancer in the recent past, each practitioner at Rejuvenations deeply wanted to reach out and offer their gifts of time, attention, and hands-on caring to oncology patients. All three women had been growing the seeds of this idea for a while but the turning point came after three closely-timed events in Karen Drelick’s life. “I was trying to figure out a way of reaching out to help oncology patients. I had clients in my practice who had close friends or family members with cancer or who were in recovery themselves. I never felt comfortable charging them. I wanted to be able to offer care in an environment where they could come and for one hour just let go.”

Candie added, “Cancer makes you lose your original self. During meditation, you reconnect with your inner self. You relax. Treatment is far more effective when you are relaxed. Non-judgmental, fully accepting, spiritually-neutral meditation works well with my clients. Their healing is more profound.”

Aimee’s focus on esthetics is also rooted in the original self. “What I found is that part of feeling good is looking good. That’s true even if you are not fighting a disease. Moving forward is the key. But it’s hard to move forward until someone reaches out and reminds you of your inner beauty and then helps you polish your outer beauty.”

The three women finally gave voice to their dreams and realized that they were all envisioning the same thing. Karen, a woman who decides what she wants and then goes after it, walked out the Rejuvenations door and over to Valerio’s Kitchen to speak with her good friend and Annie’s Angels co-founder, Bill DaGiau, about the plan. “Bill is such a huge blessing! He listened to my plan, looked at me, and said, ‘It’s about time you talked to me about this!’ He’s a great mentor!”

With the fire of inspiration and commitment lit, the women have been reaching out to the community of cancer survivors and their caregivers. The response and feedback has been fantastic!

According to Karen, “Whether it’s massage or just putting a hand on someone’s shoulder, the power of touch has a profound effect. That connection says ‘you are not alone.’ It plays a big part in the healing process.”

Meditation is a valuable tool in quieting the worry and wild thoughts. Candie offers a way to “get in touch with the present, to focus on this minute so it isn’t about being sick, it’s simply about being human.”

Facials, while many think of those as a luxury, are an important component of physical and emotional well-being to folks battling cancer. Chemo and radiation therapies can adversely affect the skin. Esthetic treatments that start at the face but can also include hands, arms, feet and lower legs feel great while helping to minimize the effects of the treatments. Aimee discussed extreme sensitivity to touch following some medical therapies, “My goal is full body nurturing and soothing relaxation. The client and I have an in-depth discussion at the first visit. Then my client helps me make the plan. It’s all about them, what they need, what they want, and more importantly what they don’t want.”

As with all grassroots organizations, fundraising, corporate support, and donations are necessary. The first “big fundraiser,” a Sock Hop at the Holy Grail in Epping, was very successful. The Honda Barn pitched in and covered the cost of the venue which helped to keep more of the donations for the fund.  AG Fitness of Stratham recently donated the money they raised with their Zumba demonstrations at Jason’s Run. Upcoming fundraisers include an Open Mic; a wine and cheese evening; a Woman’s Day Out that will include hair, make-up and massage; and a photo signing with Brietanya Lee from the movie, “Here Comes The Boom.”

For more information, here are four websites to share:
http://www.rejuvenationspt.com/

http://www.aimeenicole.skincaretherapy.net/

http://www.serenitymeditation.net/oncologyprogram.htm

www.anniesangels.net

Or call/visit: Rejuvenation Professional Massage, LLC  72 Portsmouth Ave  Stratham, 603-775-7855