By Erica Redmond AoR
I live in East Anglia, a beautiful part of the country but it’s about 40 minutes from our major hospital. The services for Palliative Care are sketchy locally, too little resources to meet the numbers and needs of people.
Since qualifying in 2000 as a Complementary Therapist, I have mainly worked in palliative care, applying to help as a volunteer at the local hospice in my town and ultimately becoming a member of their staff, giving treatments in people’s homes as well as at the lovely premises. I loved my time there. I often explained to people that the Hospice was about life, not death—There was plenty of fun and laughter. The facilities at that time were fabulous but never enough. I ended my work for the Hospice when we moved too far away.
I continued to give treatments but just to family and friends. I volunteered, listened to readers at a local primary school and worked in a charity shop but still, the pull of therapies was there.
Then in late 2022, I met a wonderful lady called Alison Brennon. She and her fellow trustees had just started a charity called The Healing Harbour. She is an ex-palliative care nurse who from her working experience in Norfolk witnessed the lack of statutory services that were available for people diagnosed with health conditions that would shorten their lives.
Often people and their families felt alone and did not know what to expect in the last weeks of life. As Alison says, “We are a ‘death-denying’ society despite knowing that we are going to die. Having open conversations about death and dying is often uncomfortable for people. Therefore, without knowing what to expect, fear of dying can be perpetuated and is a lonely and frightening experience for the person and their families”.
There is substantial evidence that spending time in nature and having meaningful time in connection with nature supports a person’s wellness. Many examples of ‘Healing Gardens’ exist that create an environment in which people can feel the benefits of spending time outside. After Alison witnessed the benefits for children who were living with palliative conditions, she was inspired to create a ‘Healing Garden’ in North Norfolk. A space where people living with advanced illnesses could come for activities and therapies to support their well-being.
“Death has become medicalised,” says Alison. “Often people who are diagnosed with life-limited conditions will focus their attention on what the medical profession can offer to them. However, in palliative care a ‘Holistic Approach’ is key, supporting emotional, physical, psychological and spiritual aspects of someone’s life.”
The Healing Harbour offers a diverse range of therapies for wellness including Complementary Therapies, Art, Gardening and Drumming Circles.
“I feel that the money for statutory services is inadequate for the needs of people living with palliative conditions and that change had to be within a grassroots community level,” adds Alison. “Increasing awareness of areas relating to palliative care and supporting the development of skills and knowledge could create a ripple of change that might grow so that more people would experience support from people living in their local community.”
There are four trustees involved in The Healing Harbour, all of whom have had direct experience in caring for someone living with a life-limiting condition and are passionate about supporting others.
When I heard about this initiative, I immediately realised that this charity was a perfect fit for me. Coincidentally, around this time, another friend asked me to carry out “taster” treatments for her in her new shop. I was soon in the position of having private clients again!
My main therapy is Reflexology. I have seen the benefits over the years for so many people with symptom control. Every person is unique and so is their reaction to treatment.
Alison explained that there was interest in the local town’s hospital from the Renal Team. They wanted to see if reflexology would help their patients, most of whom have kidney dialysis twice or three times a week, and are lying on their beds in the unit for over three hours, three times a week! This treatment has an enormous impact on their quality of life and freedom despite giving the essential treatment for life itself.
Moss M Arnold and Sharon L Windle – Chi Medics Originators
When I first qualified as a reflexologist over 25 years ago, the Association of Reflexologists had regular seminars in London. At one of these, I met an Australian author, Moss Arnold, BA Dip Ed, Dip FR, Dip OM, Dip TCM, Natural Therapist, Reflexologist and international presenter. He was there to talk about his experience connecting Classic Chinese Medicine with Western reflexology. He is the author of two reflexology works Chi-Reflexology, Guidelines of the Middle Way and Reflexology, Basics of the Middle Way—I have both well-thumbed copies in my collection!
In 2014, I attended a Chi -Reflexology course in the UK and I incorporated some of his techniques into my routine. I particularly liked “the closing sequence”, as I had noticed my patients loved this too.
Fast forward to last year when I realised Moss had moved to the UK with his wife Sharon Windle, also a fabulously knowledgeable teacher of Chi Medics, their unique approach. I contacted them, explaining my wish to ‘do no harm’ to the vulnerable patients in the renal unit and could they help me.
“Reflexologists as professional therapists need to understand their role in the healing process to be able to make an informed decision about what to do, when and how. The Hippocratic Oath should be paramount here: ‘I shall do no harm’, Which is a part of the Chi Medics approach.
“ ..Knowledge is the key to working consciously rather than unconsciously and to work from the premise of ‘If in doubt don’t and/or, if in doubt, balance and assist the body to do what it needs to do’,” says Moss.
They were very kind and gave me free time over Zoom in which they suggested safe and effective inclusions for Renal patients. This gave me the confidence to work with this particular set of people.
I decided to re-visit the Chi Medics Level 1 course to reinforce my knowledge. I was hooked and am now halfway through Level 2!
I have been working with renal patients for about six months now and I have some very encouraging results. The Senior Sister/Unit Manager Naomi Parfitt explains:
“Since having Erica join our team through The Healing Harbour charity we have seen such a positive influence on our patients’ health and well-being. There has been a range of benefits and improvements that patients and staff have noticed regarding the common side effects of the dialysis treatment,” says Naomi Parfitt, Senior Sister and Unit Manager of Cromer Hospital Renal Dialysis Unit.
“When an individual is restricted as much as a renal patient is during their treatment, and outside of treatment, the impact this has on one’s mental health is extensive. Typically, dialysis units, and other areas of healthcare, concentrate heavily on the physical health of a patient and forget the mental, social and emotional side of care. By Erica providing such wonderful treatments to our patients, this is meeting those additional and important needs,” she adds
Most who have experienced the Chi Medics sessions have indicated that they felt relaxed after the treatments and their sleep had improved. We also had some very positive feedback concerning clinical aspects such as feeling cold. One patient told me that after a treatment, “The warm feeling continued for the rest of the day” and noted improvements in sleep patterns. A comment today from a patient was “Like heaven to have my feet done”
The staff at the renal unit have been very welcoming and positive, saying, “Lots of happy patients today”.
It is such a wonderful area to offer my experience and skills, we do need more therapists to lend a hand!
The Healing Harbour Tel 07585 586469 or email thehealingharbour22@gmail.com to volunteer with this friendly supportive team.
A Footnote from Sharon and Moss
Are we delighted? Absolutely! Moss and I are thrilled that Erica has made such a difference using the Chi Medics (Chi-Reflexology) approach! We received this lovely email from the Senior Sister of the Renal Unit:
Dear Moss and Sharon,
I wanted to personally email you to thank you for the support and advice given to our volunteer therapist Erica.
Since we began discussions with Healing Harbour Charity on how we could come together to improve patients’ wellbeing and outcomes the ideas have been flying. Reflexology being our starting point (but who knows what may come next), I did a small data collection questionnaire with my patients to explore who knew what reflexology was, and the vast majority either had no idea or had heard of it but had not given it any thought.
When Erica then came to volunteer and offer our first group of patient’s taster sessions, well let me tell you the chitter chatter that went around the unit was wonderful. Patients were describing the relaxing feelings they felt that continued post dialysis treatment and gave them a boost for the week. Not only was it lovely and relaxing, a few have mentioned that their movement and mobility has improved over these last 6 weeks of seeing Erica once a week.
Patients have been so thankful and enthusiastic about the voluntary service that has given them a little something to look forward to once a week during their lengthy treatments. So benefits all round not just physically but mentally too!
If you would like some words to quote and potentially use and I’m more than happy to provide anything needed in a way of saying thank you to yourselves and of course Erica too for helping us to improve our patients care.
Best wishes,
Naomi Parfitt
Senior Sister/Unit Manager
Cromer Hospital Renal Dialysis Unit
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