As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, we like to support charities and organisations that are like-minded and resonate with our line of work – Chinese medicine! Lately, we have been supporting the free acupuncture service at the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Unit in Harrogate.
Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Unit
The Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre provides high-quality cancer treatments and wellbeing services. It offers support for people affected by a cancer diagnosis in the local area. The clinical unit provides cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, alongside supportive care and complementary therapies to deliver a holistic and therapeutic service.
The unit relies greatly on fundraising from the community. Events such as annual fashion shows are fundamental to the unit and allow the patient to dress up and model the clothes. The patients also produce yoga calendars where they model the yoga poses perfectly!
Free Acupuncture Service
Patti Hemmings and her colleague run two acupuncture clinics at the centre for patients. The clinics aim to help relieve patients’ symptoms such as peripheral neuropathy, post-treatment fatigue, hot flushes, anxiety and sleep problems – all of which are side effects of chemotherapy or ongoing hormonal treatment.
Monday clinics are conducted in a group setting to treat a greater number of patients, whereas clinics that are run on Thursday afternoons are a one-to-one service. During the week, the team see around 30 patients but have a waiting list which can run for several months. The unit also offers patients aromatherapy massage, reflexology and the Bowen technique.
Patients are referred to the clinic if they are experiencing physical symptoms of post-cancer treatment. Additionally, they are also referred to if they are struggling with their mental or physical health as Patti is a trained counsellor, as well as a TCM acupuncturist.
To support the great efforts of Patti and her colleagues, Phoenix Medical has continued to donate acupuncture needles and Plum blossom needles to ensure that the free clinic can continue to treat as many patients as possible.
‘Phoenix Medical‘s donation really does make a significant difference to our acupuncture service as our Complementary therapy service here is funded from donations from the local community.’
– Patti Hemmings
We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Unit and look forward to sharing more about the wonderful work they do.
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