Complementary Therapy at the Cancer Care Centre, York Hospital
19 MARCH 2025
York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity has funded two chairs to enable the team in Cancer Care Centre to provide auricular or ear acupuncture for patients living with Cancer.
Michelle Kirkman and Sue Blanchard, NADA trained complementary therapists within Cancer Services, approached the charity as they each required a specialised chair to provide the treatment which is designed to help with symptomatic and emotional relief associated with a cancer diagnosis.
Louise Rhodes was first diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 35, however, in January 2020 she received the devastating news that she had stage 4 incurable secondary breast cancer.
Louise was part of the original patient group who experienced the therapy and trialled the charitably funded chairs. She told us that having the opportunity to be referred into the complementary therapy team for auricular acupuncture was a ‘god send’ to her, as it enables people experiencing challenging symptoms, including pain, anxiety, and fatigue, to receive support that is very much needed, in a safe, comfortable environment.
Michelle Kirkman, Complementary Therapist within Cancer Services, told us "being able to offer auricular acupuncture to this specific patient group, to help alleviate the side effects of their cancer treatment, was so important. We are grateful to York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity for funding the initial two chairs. Following the initial trial, we have subsequently had huge success offering auricular acupuncture with patients reporting benefits ranging from better pain management, reduction in hot flushes, feeling less fatigued, to improvement in mental health and general overall wellbeing."
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