Stay Updated: OMA SPARK Newsletter Vol. 4

A Day of Fun, Relaxation & Community!

This year's retreat was another success! We enjoyed experiencing what our work feels like to infusion room patients by setting up hand and foot massage stations, donning gloves and providing one another with massages. We then were treated to a delicious meal catered by fellow OMA Therapist and Board Member, Wendy Kamasaki. Finally, we ended the day's festivities with a 3-hour CEU class taught by instructor, Pam Ferguson. We learned about Post Mastectomy Stretching exercises for our clients as well as Acupressure points for various chemo side effects. These retreats are so special-everyone agreed how beneficial it is to take time each year to be together.

Did you miss our retreat? Look below for 2019's retreat date and mark your calendar!

Above are pictures capturing the weekend's activities.

photo 1: OMA Therapists from all over Texas!
photo 2: Board Members and Committee Member gather for dinner to discuss OMA's events and activities.
photo 3: OMA Therapists enjoying the hand & foot massage station.
photo 4: Instructor, Pam Ferguson teaches us Tai Chi movements.
photo 5: Instructor, Pam Ferguson demonstrates Acupressure points on fellow OMA Therapist, Denise Giovinazzo.

Click link below to register
Oncology Massage Therapy 4-Day Intensive
Austin, Texas
The Lauterstein-Conway School
October 25-28, 2019
32 Hours

A 4-Day Intensive and supervised peer practice clinic to help you work safely and effectively with people with cancer and cancer histories.

This course gives you clear step-by-step directions for working with clients with cancer and cancer histories. You receive specific “decision tree” diagrams rather than vague verbal instructions. We show you how to use the client interview, and common cancer resources to design the safest, most effective massage.

Learn what to do for clients during cancer treatment, the years post-treatment, and even some lifelong guidelines. Leave with forms and intake questions, a “side effects table,” and even a sample oncology massage care plan to share with a client’s physician.

Use our principles and tools to work with people with cancer in any setting, from hospital to franchise. Even seasoned oncology massage therapists have used our strategies to practice with greater ease and success.

Click link below to register
Manual Lymphatic Certification (MLD)
Austin, Texas
The Lauterstein-Conway School
2 Dates
March 8-10/15-17, 2019
October 1-6, 2019
Instructor: Nicola McGill
45 Hours
This engaging 5½ day MLD Certification course is based on the techniques developed by Dr. Emil Vodder, Ph.D., MT. When skillfully applied, this therapeutic form of soft-tissue mobilization dramatically enhances lymph formation and promotes drainage within the superficial and deep systems of the lymph vascular network. MLD effectively reduces traumatic and post-surgical edema, and can provide symptomatic relief of migraine headaches, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), stress, fatigue, and more. MLD also induces general relaxation and detoxification.

Klose Lymphedema Conference
Denver, Colorado
University of Colorado Hospital
May 2-4, 2019

This conference is open to certified lymphedema therapists who have completed a lymphedema therapy training program of at least 100 hours. Attendees must be licensed health professionals. If you are a health professional interested in attending the Conference but do not meet these requirements, please call Klose Training at 303-245-0333.

Click link below to register
Clinical Skills for End-of-Life Massage
Dallas, Texas
August 1-3, 2019
Cindy Spence and Susan Gee
20 Hours

A three-day program designed to prepare licensed, certified and professional massage therapists to work with people at the end of life. Rather than a specific technique, we focus on adapting what therapists already know to meet the needs of people with advanced illness.

OMA's Goals: Today and Tomorrow

Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress, and working together is success.
~ Edward Everett Hale

Gail Bailey, Executive Director of Oncology Massage Alliance (OMA), gave a recent talk at the annual OMA Massage Therapist 2018 Retreat in Austin, Texas. She presented an overview and an update as to OMA's progress and success in meeting our current goals in both Texas and Oregon.

To read more about OMA's milestones and plans for the future, click here

OMA gives back!

To learn more about OMA's Community Events, click here.

OMA will once again provide complimentary chair massages to 20 Colors/20 Bikes participants in a cycling event held in early-February by Re:Cancer.

20 Colors / 20 Bikes is an indoor cycling fundraiser that invites beginner riders, competitive cyclists, fitness enthusiasts, cancer patients, survivors, and everyone in between to hop on a stationary bike and raise funds to help Austin-area cancer patients and their support networks. All proceeds benefit Re:Cancer. To learn more about RE:Cancer click here (Austin, TX).