At the St. Charles Cancer Center, healing takes many forms. Thanks to Foundation donor support, in addition to traditional medical treatments, cancer patients in Central Oregon also have access to massage and reiki therapy at no cost.
These integrative therapies complement traditional cancer treatments by supporting the whole person. Patients often face anxiety, fatigue and physical side effects like muscle tightness or nerve pain. Reiki and massage offer relief from these symptoms while providing a restorative and calming environment that promotes healing.
These therapies are making a real difference. In 2024 alone, patients received 1,162 massage treatments and 477 reiki sessions, provided by 15 reiki volunteers and licensed massage therapist at the Cancer Center.
“These services are much more than just comfort, they are essential tools in a patient’s healing journey,” said Jane Cook, a cancer patient who received these treatments.
Jane was introduced to the Cancer Center’s integrative services in 2022 during her treatment for lung cancer. She knew these therapies would be vital to her care and has since received reiki and massage regularly, finding both physical relief and emotional strength through these sessions. She says reiki, something she had never tried before, has become a source of emotional and spiritual healing. Massage therapy has helped alleviate the lasting effects of radiation, especially in her head and neck.
“Fighting cancer and healing is not just about the medicine. It’s your mental approach, your physical comfort and feeling like you’re a part of a supportive community. These services help me stay above water and gives me something positive to look forward to,” said Jane.
Patients like Jane, who find strength, healing and comfort through integrative therapies, are a testament to the powerful impact of your donor support.
The opening of the St. Charles Cancer Center in Redmond in early 2026 will allow us to expand these vital services to even more patients, including those living in our rural communities.
