Across all of our North Lancashire and Lake District hotels, we place great emphasis in providing training and career development opportunities for our staff. That in turn means a better service for our guests.
This can often include more specialised training in areas that most people have never really considered. For our team of spa therapists at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa, it’s a good case in point.
Three of the team have completed an Oncology massage qualification through the accredited Jennifer Young Training School. This professional qualification has equipped them with the skills to help with the treatment of cancer patients, including Level 1 and advanced cancer awareness.
Oncology massage is a certified qualification which gives spa therapists the skills and knowledge to undertake gentle, sensitive massage treatments to patients going through different stages of cancer.
Massage can be valuable contributor to healing in both mind and body, and research shows that it can be a beneficial treatment for patients having cancer treatment or recovering from the disease. Physical and emotional benefits are well documented from reducing pain, nausea and anxiety through to improving circulation, mood and wellbeing.
Katie, Hannah and Beckie are now qualified to offer oncology massage, as well as a range of specialist recovery treatments including facials, manicures and pedicures for cancer patients.
These types of treatments are not currently fully recognised as standard in the industry and have not been given due prominence. The aim for The Spa is to change that and ensure that a cancer patient seeking some relief can be professionally cared for during a really difficult time in their life.
Taking part in the oncology treatments training has been a highly rewarding experience for the trio of therapists, giving them the chance to develop additional career skills.
With a more detailed approach to training and helping team members to gain industry related qualifications, Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa is already working in partnership with Kendal College and ESPA to enable the spa therapists to progress through a specialist advancement programme.
The ESPA certification trains them in line with the highest industry standards in body and face treatments, including luxury brand knowledge, customer service and hospitality skills.
Low Wood Bay supports Paddlers for Life
Research shows that exercise and treatments like oncology massage bring cancer survivors a range of physical and emotional benefits. The hotel group also supports breast cancer charity Paddlers for Life, which has two dragon boats at the Low Wood Bay Watersports Centre for use by patients and families to help build friendship and support networks.