Professional masseuse offers free services to cancer patients

By Elna Seabrooks  
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Shirley Armitage, owner of Armitage Massage and AFJ Holistic, knows first-hand what family members and friends of cancer patients experience. “My sister died of breast cancer seven years ago and my mother died of lung cancer a year and a half ago,” said Armitage of her personal connection and loss.
    That is the reason she said she’s reaching out to cancer patients and offering free massages that she says will help alleviate some of the discomfort and emotional anxiety they face while fighting the disease. “Touch therapy can support recovery in a number of ways … Massage can help with emotional well-being and it helps relieve discomfort,” according to Armitage.
MASSAGE THERAPY — Shirley Armitage demonstrates her massage techniques in her offices at 51 North St. in Houlton where she is offering free massages to cancer patients. The young man pictured is her son, and not a cancer patient.
    Susan Clifford, director of communications for the American Cancer Society (ACS) in Maine,  acknowledged possible benefits from massage. “By all means we certainly support any type of alternative or complementary practice that would help with symptom  management and increases quality of life for cancer patients. There are many types of massage and what works for one may not work for another patient. You have to find your own comfort level,” said Clifford.
     She also said that “studies of massage for cancer patients suggest that it can decrease stress, help with anxiety, depression, pain and fatigue.” In addition, Clifford added that symptoms from conventional medicines and treatments have side affects that massage therapy can relieve. However, Clifford stressed that “while there are many benefits of massage therapy, ACS does not, as a scientific and evidence-based organization, suggest that there is any support for claims that massage therapy slows or reverses the spread or growth of cancer.” The ACS Web site (www.Cancer.org) has more information on the benefits of massage therapy and reflexology.
    Armitage said the one-hour sessions are normally $40. However, she also added that for a cancer patient, a half-hour session is probably preferable. Armitage has been seeing a couple of cancer patients for the free sessions and she “is trying to connect with cancer support groups since last spring” to offer her service. “It hit me so personally, so often. When I’m able to give out to the community, it will benefit people in the area,” she said.
    Last week was Armitage’s first full-time week in Houlton at 51 North Street after expanding her practice three years ago from offices in Massachusetts. She is a licensed massage therapist in Maine and studied at the Central Mass School of Massage Therapy in Spencer. Appointments are Tuesday – Friday and can be arranged by calling Armitage at 423-0985. The Web site is: Imagroupmembers.com/ShirleyArmitage. Her e-mail address is afjholistic@gmail.com.