OTI has, and continues to identify the need for advanced training in the salon/spa industry industry which shifts previous beliefs for those diagnosed with cancer.
For too long, these industries have shied away from addressing all the needs of people living with cancer. Ignorance and a lack of knowledge has impeded salon/spa professionals from helping these cancer fighters and survivors – the very people who may benefit most from salon/spa services. When you consider as many as four in ten people will get cancer in their lifetimes – there is a demand based on the staggering reality of 23.6 million potentially new cases of cancer each year by 2030.
The training’s offered by Oncology Training International (OTI) have been revolutionizing the salon/spa industry since 2007; and OTI continues to be a driving force to change this approach. People living with cancer and other comorbidities need to be afforded the most current information for optimum benefits.
Training’s are offered in a number of variations: in-class; blended (online and in-class); and online. We take into considering most learning styles; budget and time restraints.
Whether you are a cancer survivor; a salon/spa professional, or healthcare professional – our training’s will help you understand the “aesthetic” (physical) and emotional needs for clients with cancer, plus to overcome the challenges in providing them with salon/spa services. When doing so, we need to treat our clients properly – with respect, empathy and compassion.
14 Reviews on “Oncology Training International (OTI)”
The Oncology Esthetics Training from OTI has taught me to elevate the level of care that I offer by broadening my aesthetic and oncology knowledge. This training has helped me to be more sensitive to each skincare case. Professionally it has given me confidence to work with a variety of skins, including health challenged. It also helps patients/clients to trust the care we offer at our skin and massage studio. CM – C-Spa, Boston, MA – USA
To say that getting my certification in Oncology Esthetics through OTI almost eighy years ago has changed my life would be an understatement. I know that I was guided to do this work as the year before Morag Currin’s ground breaking book Oncology Esthetics: A Practitioner’s Guide was published, I became friends with a woman who at the time was in remission from AML. I helped her with camouflage makeup as she suffered from graft vs. host disease which caused unsightly brown splotches on her arms and legs. In my friend’s words, “I made her feel beautiful again” and she pushed me to help others like her. When Morag began offering her certification classes I was one of the first to sign up.
Since then I’ve been a Look Good Feel Better facilitator at a few different hospitals and cancer support centers. I created a website called Spa For Cancer, a resource for people who are dealing with appearance related side effects from living with cancer. I’ve had the honor of working with many clients over the last six years who received a cancer diagnosis. They were thrilled they didn’t need to stop getting regular skin care treatments and that I knew how to modify them to their changing skin while keeping them safe. I’ve been a source of comfort for both patients and caregivers. In 2014 I was invited to speak about my work at the 2nd largest beauty show in the world held in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Most recently this year (2015), I was hired as the first and only esthetician at the Disney Family Cancer Center in Burbank, CA, part of the Providence network of hospitals. I work every Wednesday in the Integrative Medicine Department seeing patients and caregivers as well as visiting people while getting their chemo infusions.
There’s nothing like spending an hour with a cancer patient and creating a safe place for them where they can forget they’re sick and just lay back and receive the power of healing touch. A couple months ago I worked on a man who had maxillary carcinoma 15 years ago. He sees his oncologist every few months for follow ups and loves getting monthly massages. He’s begged his massage therapists to work on his face but they won’t do it – one of his cheeks had to be rebuilt and his face is disfigured with one eye that doesn’t close. I’m assuming the therapists were afraid he might break or they would cause some harm but I promised this man an awesome facial massage. When the treatment was finished he hugged me with tears in his eyes. How can that not change your life? WS, Spa For Cancer, Los Angeles, CA – USA
I love to do this kind of continuing education. Loved it! CB, Calgary, AB – Canada
During the first 10 minutes of day 1 of my OE training, I knew I had found my place on earth. Despite finding doors closed, red-tape, financial challenges and, at times, an uphill road, it remains the most fulfilling role I could have ever imagined and will be my life’s work.” SW, Simply Faces Sydney, NSW – Australia
Beauty issues have always been a problem for me. If you look better you can tolerate the therapies and their related side effects much better. – Milano, Italia
Now I do know what to do in practical terms. It is really important to have a qualified skin care therapist at your disposal. – Milano, Italia
I have ovarian cancer and live in the adjoining town of Los Gatos. Perhaps the Los Gatos Spa or another Bay Area spa will offer your Clinical Oncology Esthetics treatments. I’d very much like to attend a future session. Please put me on your mailing list. Thank you – and good for you to be focusing on the beaten up skin & bodies of women dealing with cancer and chemo. We could use your help physically & mentally! HE – Los Gatos, CA – USA
I wish this service [Clinical Oncology Esthetics] had been available to me. Laying in bed my skin was so dry it was cracking and with the chemo and radiation treatments to have my feet and hands massaged would have made me feel very feminine. My bald head and ears would have loved it. I would not have wanted a full facial so much as my skin got very thin and the facial scrub would probably have irritated my skin.
However, I wish I had been offered a spa treatment so that I did not have to think about dying, my next bowel movement or vomit attack but just to lay there and be pampered. I think a treatment like this would have been very beneficial to my mental well being.
I do not think talking about the products would have helped it would have irritated me giving me information about this and that when you do not know if the next day will come around just the feeling of having my skin pampered would be enough. The products while nice for a treatment with no smells during treatments. I still go back to the products I used before cancer. I would definitely want to have a spa treatment by someone trained in this service. Definitely a test of each product tested on a very small area before applying to larger skin area. DE – Phoenix, AZ – USA
I have been using the Hale & Hush products for a few years now, and always find them to be gentle and nourishing to my skin. During radiation treatment for breast cancer, I was so careful not to use abrasive or irritating products on my face and chest. These products are very appropriate for post surgical grooming.
I definitely feel that training for aestheticians treating cancer patients is very important. After my bilateral mastectomy, I occasionally received an upper body massage of the back and neck at the radiation oncologist’s office. This was a relatively new service, and frankly looked upon with ambivalence by the oncology staff. But for me it was very important. I lived alone, and these sessions were the only time I was touched. I hadn’t realized that void. During one of my first massages, all my emotion welled up and spilled over. So I feel the massage offered an emotional outlet for me during the most difficult time of my life.
Being a breast cancer survivor, it is crucial that my caregiver understands the importance of proper massage flow to avoid the danger of lymphedema. Professional training is not only helpful but imperative to avoid lymphatic complications. JZ – Phoenix, AZ – USA
Thank you for the invitation to once again participate in your Clinical Oncology Esthetics training. I am so glad to know there are people like you caring about us cancer survivors. I will be able to participate on Tuesday January 18th. See you then. JR – Phoenix, AZ – USA
It is most important that the esthetician be trained to work with cancer patients during treatment and recovery and benefits from spa treatments include relaxation, stress reduction, psychological and peer comfort. Folks like me resist “group therapy” or treatments other than medical. Being exposed to an esthetician forces a cancer patient to do something good for themselves in spite of themselves!!! KM – Glendale, AZ – USA
I think the Clinical Oncology Esthetics training is essential with respect to sanitation issues and port care. It is important that estheticians be trained to work with cancer patients during treatment and recovery as patients don’t want to have to keep explaining their treatment. MB – Phoenix, AZ – USA
Spa treatments for me include benefits such as relaxation, stress reduction, skin rejuvenation and psychological aspects.
It is extremely important to me that the esthetician be trained to work with cancer patients during cancer treatment and recovery otherwise too much damage can be done. SG – Glendale, AZ – USA
Cancer can be a very overwhelming and scary diagnosis. That, coupled with treatment, can be a very anxious time for patients. It is important patients have an outlet to relax, de-stress and feel good about themselves. Safe spa treatments can do just that. Until Clinical Oncology Esthetics®, cancer patients were not able to enjoy these treatments because of their needs and the lack of knowledge regarding how spa treatments could be safe. Now, patients can have the spa experience tailored to their needs. To have a break from the rigors of treatment, even for a short spa treatment is priceless and a most well-deserved gift. CP, RN, BSN., Boston, MA – USA