Senior students invited to volunteer at Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre
Our supervised public clinics on campus are the core of the hands-on clinical experience our students receive. You knew that. But did you know that Vicars School of Massage Therapy takes our students on the road as often as we can?
We regularly pack up the gear to offer outreach clinics at sports and charity events in Edmonton and Calgary. It’s a way to serve our communities, and an opportunity for students grow their skills and confidence and to work in novel settings with new client groups.
In early April, a group of our senior students were invited to the new Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre to provide free massages for patients, families, and even staff.
The first visit from the students was an immediate hit with everyone at Arthur Child Centre, and we have already been invited back; another group of students will be at the Centre on April 28.
“It was truly a memorable day; one I won’t forget,” said recreation therapist Tracy McChesney, who helped arrange the partnership and supported the students on the day. “I don’t think I have ever heard such positive feedback from patients, families, and staff collectively, on the impact of a program.”
It was just as meaningful for the students who participated.
“It was truly inspiring to see the patients and families respond to the students and massage in the way they did,” says Alyssa.
The Arthur Child opened in October 2024 and is one of the largest comprehensive cancer treatment and research facilities in the world. It has 160 inpatient rooms, more than 90 chemotherapy chairs, and 12 radiation treatment areas. It offers inpatient and outpatient care as well as cutting-edge research facilities. With integrated research and a multidisciplinary approach, the centre focuses on prevention, early detection, precision medicine, and psychosocial care for patients at all stages of their care.
A massage break for patients, families, and staff
On April 1, Vicars students made their first visit to one of the palliative care wards. They offered short relaxation massage treatments to patients and their families and caregivers.
Students set up a few massage chairs in a patient lounge for staff and caregivers, while patients received their treatments in their own rooms.
“We would start by having a discussion with the patient, or with their caregiver if they were non-verbal, to make sure we knew about any contraindications or areas of concern,” says Alyssa. “For example, many patients had ports or IVs, and many had areas of fragile skin or tissue.”
Each massage was as unique as the patient themselves.
“It was about making the client feel good: reducing their pain and bringing them some comfort,” Alyssa explains. “For some there was a little bit of rocking, maybe a little bit of mobility work. For another patient it might have been almost like holding the patient’s hand for 10 minutes, with some light stroking and brushing techniques, to help their nervous system come down.”
The patients’ caregivers also had a chance to put aside their stress and pain with a massage.
“We also got to teach a few of the caregivers some massage techniques, so they could give it to their loved ones after we left. That was really, really lovely.”
Quite a few of the hard-working staff on the ward got to enjoy a massage as well. And in one case, our client was a hard-working staff member from an entirely different area of the hospital!
“At one point there was a surgeon visiting from another floor and he noticed what was happening,” Alyssa said. “He was like ‘Wait…there’s massages up here? May I?’ So we also massaged a surgeon.”
Valuable professional experience for Vicars students
This outreach opportunity was one of the many ways that Vicars students get hands-on experience providing specialized care. The second year of our massage therapy diploma program puts a significant emphasis on providing therapeutic care to people with complex treatment needs.
Students learn about how to adapt their massage therapy skills to work with clients of all ages and health care needs, and in a variety of settings.
This is why outreach events like the Arthur Child visit are so valuable.
“It’s about the diversity of conditions and people that they’re getting to see. But the most important takeaway was seeing the value of massage therapy: how it really affected these people,” explains Alyssa. “The positive outcomes were so obvious and immediate. Within the 15–30 minutes we were with them, we could see them completely relax.”
“It was pretty profound for the students to see that happen.”
The school also hosts special in-class teaching clinics for clients with certain specific medical conditions, including cerebral palsy, scoliosis, MS, Parkinson’s, frozen shoulder, arthritis, and more. (Think you might be eligible? Learn more about our Calgary or Edmonton special populations clinics). We also have outreach partnerships that connect our students with brain and spinal cord injury patients, athletes, and older clients.
Working in an environment like the Arthur Child also gives our students extraordinary insight into the different professional environments available to them when they graduate.
“Exposing students to different professional settings helps them open their eyes to the many opportunities that are out there for massage therapists, and how massage therapy can be integrated into other health care fields,” says Alyssa. “And it’s a great chance for students to learn whether that’s a population that they might want to work with in the future.”
