Summary
Did you know hospice care includes wellbeing services to support patients and their loved ones? As a charity, we are supported by many talented volunteers including Keith, one of our massage therapists. Here, we find out more about the holistic therapies on offer and the team delivering them.
A patient’s perspective
“Martlets offers a wellbeing massage service especially for patients and carers, which is just brilliant”, says Lizzie. “Keith is so highly sensitive and tuned into people’s muscles and how they feel, perhaps more so because he can’t see. I stopped going to my previous massage therapist when I was diagnosed with incurable cancer – I wanted to be careful because deep tissue massage affects the lymph and so on – but Keith does gentle massage and understands that clients who are patients need a careful approach.”
Lizzie has had eight sessions with Keith which have helped immensely with her mobility. After a lengthy stay in hospital, she was having trouble walking and also has restless leg syndrome and swollen ankles.
“My knees have really hurt on and off too so Keith concentrates the massage on my legs, knees, ankles and feet. It’s been so beneficial and makes such a massive difference – I’m able to walk better, the swelling has reduced, and my legs feel more relaxed and less fidgety.”
Keith’s therapeutic approach
“I specialise in clinical massage and thought using my skills as a volunteer at Martlets would be a lovely thing to do. I do massage treatments for patients and their carers – they both need relaxation to alleviate the discomforts of their physical and emotional distress. For carers it helps to sort out knotted muscles from all the heavy lifting they are doing. With patients the massage is much lighter, I am especially careful and do what I can to help. I might focus on a specific area of the body or do a more general wellbeing massage that aids relaxation. I love my volunteer role here at Martlets and get a lot of satisfaction from it.”
Three cheers for our volunteers
Keith is supported by three other volunteers – Dawn, Kim and Rose, who assist him in getting to the hospice and help him with his clients. They are affectionately known as ‘Keith’s Angels’.
Dawn assists Keith in the therapy room:
“I prepare the therapy room and get Keith’s patients ready for their treatment, helping them to get on and off the massage table,” she explains. “I also take notes and keep track of the appointments. Most importantly, I ferry Keith cake between clients!”
Dawn previously supported Martlets as a volunteer hairdresser on the inpatient ward. She is currently a bereavement support volunteer and sings in our Good Vibrations Choir, as well as assisting Keith.
“I’ve been helping Keith for around eight years now,” she continues. “He’s such an amazing and inspirational guy. Everyone wants to book him for a massage as he’s so empathetic and his heightened sense of touch means he is very good at what he does. The patients and carers he treats really do appreciate it.”
The importance of wellbeing therapies in hospice care
Ann Borg, wellbeing services manager at Martlets, agrees that Keith is a fantastic therapist who works hard to understand and tailor his massage sessions to meet the needs of each patient or carer.
“His gentle approach really helps people to relax and feel supported and safe,” she explains, “so that they can let go of their worries for a short time and get the most out of their massage session. We are very lucky to have him in our wellbeing team and he has helped so many people in the past eight years.”
As well as providing expert clinical care, our patients’ overall wellbeing is vitally important. That’s why we offer wellbeing therapies to patients and their loved ones.
“Being able to take some time out to have a relaxing massage or reiki session can have huge benefits,” continues Ann. “Alternatively, attending a writing or art group, where you can immerse yourself in the activity for a couple of hours can also be deeply relaxing and restorative on many levels. It can build resilience to help deal with the changes and challenges that our patients and carers are experiencing. Our wellbeing team that delivers these therapies and activities is supported by a wonderful group of volunteers, including our complementary therapists. They offer therapies such as massage, reiki and chair yoga to support patients and their carers.”
Interested in finding out more about our wellbeing services? Visit social groups and wellbeing activities or contact our wellbeing service manager, Ann Borg: ann.borg@martlets.org.uk
If you’d like more information about volunteering opportunities at Martlets, please call 01273 273400.
Read further stories about our wellbeing services
- Jean’s story – Jean is a Martlets outpatient and takes part in several of our wellbeing groups online.
How you can support Martlets
Published: 11/03/2025