Janice’s retreat was opened on Friday by Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst. Photo/ Rafaella Melo
Janice’s retreat was opened on Friday by Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst. Photo/ Rafaella Melo
A new therapeutic space has opened in the garden behind the Cancer Society’s Hawke’s Bay centre, offering free therapeutic massage sessions for patients undergoing treatment.
Janice’s retreat, a project made possible thanks to a gift from Cancer Society Hawke’s Bay former president, the late JaniceKlinkhamer, was opened on Friday by Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, alongside Janice’s husband Lou Klinkhamer, Cancer Society staff, and supporters.
Janice, who died of a brain tumour, planned the new space to ensure it would become a place of calm and support for others.
“She was part of all of this,” Pauline Farquhar, from Cancer Society Hawke’s Bay, said.
“She was really keen for that to happen ... she gave us some money from her ASB Good as Gold award and so we were able to complete it.”
Previously, massage therapy was offered in a limited way, with massage beds temporarily set up in small office rooms, but demand had been high and the waitlist long.
“You had to wait about 12 weeks to see a massage therapist ... we had a couple of people who passed away before their sessions,” Farquhar told Hawke’s Bay Today.
With additional funding, the service was expanded to two days a week for a while.
Farquhar says the new retreat allows each patient to access up to six free one-hour sessions, for now offered once a week. The space is available to the public from now on.
The goal is to expand access depending on demand and on the support from future fundraising.
“We’re just monitoring that and if we get long wait time again, we will try and look at increasing availability.”
Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst (left), Lou Klinkhamer and Pauline Farquhar at the official opening of Janice’s Retreat in Hastings. Photo/ Rafaella Melo
Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, who was a close friend of Janice, is confident the community will step in to support the project.
“Once the community understands the need for some more funding support, the funding will come. They’re very generous,” Hazlehurst said.
“Janice dedicated her life to serving others, and she always wanted to leave something in her memory and give back.”
Janice’s husband, Lou Klinkhamer, said the retreat was part of her long-term dream to provide the Cancer Society Hawke’s Bay with a permanent home.
He said the Cancer Society had been renting its premises for about $30,000 a year, but with support from Janice and himself to secure funding, the organisation was able to purchase its current site in Hastings.
“Then Janice left more money towards the massage room at the back and we had that all done up and lined and that’s why is called Janice’s retreat,” Lou said.
Janice’s Retreat was designed to offer therapeutic massage sessions for cancer patients. Photo/ Rafaella Melo
The massage service is led by Lydie Tournier, a therapist trained in lymphatic drainage. She joined the Cancer Society team two years ago.
“I can speak from a therapist’s point of view as well as from a patient’s point of view: It just changes the whole dynamic of the treatment as it’s probably the only nice appointment to go to,” she said.
“This makes a huge difference in people’s journey.”
