Serving patients in the oncology realm is most often a multidisciplinary effort, but are your patients using all of the services they need? Oncology massage therapy is a wonderful complement to our OncoPT services, serving patients with lymphedema, pain, scar & soft tissue restrictions, among many other physical impairments. I interviewed Clare Landy about her experience working as an OncoPT in Australia & as a massage therapist in Austin, Texas in her private practice & within Cancer Rehab & Integrative Medicine.
4:22 Clare’s roots in her Australian physiotherapy practice
21:01 Lymphatic massage therapy & benefits of PT + massage for lymphedema
27:57 Clare’s work on an integrative oncology team
35:36 What’s next for Clare as she heads back to Australia
Clare’s Bio:
Clare Landy is a physiotherapist from Australia. She graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of Applied Science, Physiotherapy at Cumberland College, Sydney – now a part of Sydney University. She left Sydney in December 2015 with her husband and sons and moved to Texas. Prior to leaving, she had interests in lymphedema, oncology and palliative care. Working in Texas as a PT was not available due to the difficulties with getting a license, so she went back to school and obtained her massage therapy license in Texas, to allow her to continue to work in the healthcare field. She is passionate about improving people’s quality of life and decreasing pain and discomfort through massage and education. She loves doing massage and seeing the relief that people get from her work. Massage Therapy has been a great compliment to being a Physical Therapist, affording her more time with her clients, getting to know their bodies, what is helpful for them, and making them feel better.
Clare has over 30 years of experience, working with adults with a wide range of ailments and disabilities. Over the past 20 years, she has worked primarily in home-based care (adult clients, primarily the elderly). In 2013, Clare did a course in Complex Lymphedema Therapy (known as Complete Decongestive Therapy in the USA) and has not looked back. She is passionate about helping people with lymphedema, both primary and secondary to cancer and other causes. Along with this, Clare has taken training in Oncology Massage as the techniques used are similar to those used in lymphatic work. After gaining her massage license, she launched her mobile massage therapy business in South Austin in August 2017, under the business name of Gentle Massage Therapy. She has been visiting clients where they are residing, offering massage therapy to help with pain relief, edema management, joint mobilisation and relaxation. Along with mobile work, she has joined Dr Angela Wicker-Ramos DPT in her Cancer Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine practice in Austin.
Clare is a member of the following organisations – American Massage Therapy Association, Oncology Massage Alliance, Society for Oncology Massage, National Lymphedema Network, Lymphatic Education and Research Network, Australasian Lymphology Association and the Australian Physiotherapy Association.
Follow Clare on Facebook & LinkedIn.
To listen to my interview with Angela Wicker-Ramos, owner of Cancer Rehab & Integrative Medicine, click here.