Sussex Cancer Fund providing Clinical Massage to cancer patients in Sussex

The Sussex Cancer Fund is a small charity serving the whole of Sussex by providing specialist equipment, additional patient services as well as funding cancer research.

While our support of cancer services is far reaching, one of our projects that receives some of the most positive feedback from patients is our Clinical Massage service.

The massage service is run by the charity Full Circle Fund Therapies and has been running for a couple of years, although there was a pause in service during the height of the COVID pandemic.

After seeing the massive benefit to patients from the service, the Sussex Cancer Fund wanted to ensure that the service could continue and as a result stepped in and joined forces with Full Circle by providing the funds necessary to pay for the service. The service costs Sussex Cancer Fund around £20k per year and is paid for by the kind donations from our supporters.

We asked Gabby Bignell our on-site massage therapist to explain exactly how clinical massage helps our Cancer Patients.

“Gentle massage and nurturing touch can help to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system (the opposite of the ‘flight or flight’ sympathetic response) which lowers the heart rate and slows breathing, making us feel more relaxed. This in turn can make us feel more sleepy. Some people experiencing peripheral neuropathy symptoms (numbness and pins & needles) have reported temporary relief and improved normal sensation for several hours or days after the massage. Where people are feeling isolated or being treated in a separate room, a visit from a therapist, a short massage session and chance to ‘switch off’ – or a chat at the same time – could help them feel more cared for and connected to their own bodies, following a diagnosis or intense medical treatment, and less alone.”

As well as providing new state of the art equipment and big projects to improve cancer treatment, much of the work of the Sussex Cancer Fund is to try and make treatment a little more bearable, so a recent comment from one of our patients brings home to us the importance of these little touches. While receiving their massage, during a tough cycle of chemotherapy, they simply said “This is the nicest thing that has happened in weeks”.

Small things really can make a difference and our massage service hasn’t stopped with the patients! We have also given staff a specialist massage chair together with an aromatherapy oil diffuser for the new relaxation room for staff from the Cancer Treatment Unit. The room is designed as a retreat for staff to take their breaks and resident massage therapist Gabby Bignell is giving her time for free offering restorative and relaxing massages to staff during long shifts.

Please help us make a difference to those going through cancer treatment by visiting our website and making a donation if you can. www.sussexcancerfund.co.uk