Heartburn Cancer UK is proud to have The Lanesborough as a corporate supporter. We are so grateful that their team has gone the extra mile to help cancer patients, making massage accessible, inclusive, and safe for people living with and beyond cancer. By training their therapists in oncology massage, The Lanesborough ensures that guests with cancer are welcomed, not turned away – a model of care more spas and wellness centres should follow.
Dale’s Experience: Myth-Busting and Real Benefits
Dale, diagnosed with stage 4 oesophageal cancer, and his wife Ana, who has also had her own cancer journey, recently experienced an oncology-aware massage at The Lanesborough’s Spa.
Dale says: “When you live with cancer, small moments of normal keep you going. A calm room. Skilled hands. An hour where your body gets care, not caution. That’s not a luxury. It’s a supportive therapy that can help you sleep, ease pain, lower anxiety, and get through the hard parts. Massage is about comfort and coping, not cure.”
Dale kindly wrote a blog sharing his experience, highlighting how outdated myths prevent many cancer patients from accessing care that could genuinely help their wellbeing.
One persistent myth is that “massage spreads cancer,” often linked to concerns about stimulating the lymphatic system. However, research shows this is unfounded. Cancer Research UK states there is no evidence that massage treats cancer, but it can help people relax and cope safely if therapists adapt techniques and avoid tumour sites or medical devices. Similarly, Macmillan Cancer Support highlights that touch therapies – including massage – can support relaxation and wellbeing when tailored to a patient’s situation and used in coordination with clinicians. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute also clarifies that massage does not spread lymphoma, emphasizing that metastasis is driven by tumour biology, not external pressure, and the World Cancer Research Fund supports massage as a safe, beneficial practice for easing tension, improving mood, and helping patients cope with treatment stress.
Sam and Mimi: A Spa Experience with Heart
Oesophageal cancer patient Sam and his wife Mimi also visited The Lanesborough to experience the specially designed Barróg Rituals, created for those undergoing or recovering from cancer treatment.
Sam shared:“It was a wonderful day for both Mimi & I! We were very well looked after in the spa after having a lovely long lunch in the beautifully festively dressed hotel. The treatment was excellent & the therapist both very attentive & interested in my medical history. I would highly recommend it – & in fact, if Mimi has her way, it may become a Christmas tradition for us!”
The Barróg Rituals use carefully developed products to soothe the skin and calm the mind. £5 from each booking goes directly to Heartburn Cancer UK, supporting our work raising awareness and helping patients affected by oesophageal cancer and Barrett’s oesophagus.
Holistic Therapies in Cancer Care
Many hospitals, hospices, and specialist wellness centres now offer holistic therapies as part of an integrative approach. In fact our very own HCUK team member Fi offers holistic therapies for oncology patients and regularly supports local cancer charities and their patients here in Hampshire.
These therapies – typically massage, reiki, reflexology, acupuncture, and aromatherapy – support wellbeing, reduce tension, encourage relaxation, and help people feel more like themselves during and after treatment.
The Lanesborough’s Barróg Rituals are a wonderful example of this approach in a luxury spa setting, showing that inclusion, safety, and comfort can go hand-in-hand.
Thank You
We are incredibly grateful to both Dale and Sam for sharing their experiences, and to The Lanesborough for showing how care, compassion, and true inclusivity can transform the experience of people living with and beyond cancer. Their dedication sets a shining example of what supportive, patient-centred care can look like- and the difference it can make in real lives.
