My journey to massage therapy is quite unique. My husband was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in 2018, essential oils, massage therapy and other holistic modalities helped him with pain management and other side effects of chemotherapy. He was told two months to live but thanks to nutrition and other variety of holistic approaches to his cancer, he lived for 8 months.
Caring for a cancer patient changed my perspective about life and the need to advocate for more natural approach to cancer treatment. With more than 36 years of professional experience n Marketing and Communication and an MBA degree, my career transition to massage therapy was quite challenging. Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology courses were quite a feat to pass the licensing exam under Virginia’s Board of Nursing. After completing the basic course of 604 hours of classroom instruction and practical training, then completing additional courses were needed to specialize a specific track which in my case is more focused on therapeutic massage such as Oncology Massage and Manual Lymphatic Drainage or MLD. The process became harder during Covid. We learned a lot to be resilient and be adaptable to such circumstances.
After two years finally, St. Michael & Company Spa and Wellness comes to fruition. This is a tribute to my husband– all for love.
Thanks to support, prayers and countless hours of conversations /advises from my son, my family (dad, sisters and brother) and my board of advisers – Ms. Mary Taylor, Sandra Robertson, Sherrie Hill, and Pat Hall. A special thanks to my friends and family in Thailand and Turkey. It was those trips that convinced me to take that leap of faith–and fate.