Read these inspirational stories of people who’ve made use of our centre and services to help them cope with their cancer and its negative effects.

I am writing to let you know that I am a very fortunate person to have had the most wonderful, support care and kindness from your team at Oxton Holistic Centre.

In particular there is one of your Nurses P, who has been so helpful to me throughout my cancer treatments/journey.

P has been such a wonderful Nurse to me from when I was first diagnosed in January 2019 to the present time. After my diagnosis which was very frightening of Invasive Breast Cancer, P was so wondering in helping me see that the holistic treatment and care could help me to heal. She helped me come to terms, psychologically and physically. She devised a plan that she thought would be able to help me, to get through all that I had to cope with. I was really not in a good place yet P was so kind and encouraged me to undertake Tai Chi and Reflexology which became so important for my coming to terms with my cancer and getting through the side-effect of its treatments. Not only this but P was so approachable and had a lovely caring nature, to give me the confidence to get on with my treatments. Her knowledge and professionalism in her role helped me to keep going and my confidence to try the Holistic therapies. Please could you send my thanks and appreciation to P for helping me to have new hope and her dedication to helping me to recover from my cancer operation and treatments. My cancer has gone onto remission and I have P and the Oxton Holistic Centre to thank for their help, encouragement and kindness.

As a psychiatrist work in Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, I have known the centre for many years and appreciated the work they do.

We are fortunate to have Maggies Centre here beside the hospital. While this is great, there are many people whom Maggies is not appropriate. The Holistic Cancer Centre fills many of these gaps. For people who are shy and self conscious and would not go to an open plan area (such as Maggies), the privacy of THCC is very comforting. Only this morning I met a patient who was not willing to consider any groups but agreed to contact THCC because he knew that he would be seen on a 1:1 basis.

I also see the location of THCC as offering benefit. For many people that fact that it is situated away from the hospital and is a non-clinical space, makes it much more acceptable to them.

Finally I am very grateful for all the touch therapies that THCC offers. Not everyone is articulate and willing or able to talk about how they are feeling. For such individuals, have a touch therapy such as Reiki or aromatherapy, can be really healing. This is particularly true for people with a cancer diagnosis who have often been through so much physically and do not feel at ease in their bodies following surgery or radiotherapy – I see these touch therapies as supporting them to accept the bodily changes and move towards feeling more positive about their body.

For all of these reasons, I see an important role for THCC complementing other cancer support services. All of this is offered by staff who are professional, empathic, kind and caring.

I find being part of the Holistic family very comforting, and feel that if I had any worries they would certainly be there fo me. We laugh a lot and that makes little worries go away. The staff are always there if we need to talk and need advice. Altogether I feel proud to be part of this family.

I would just like to say how much I enjoy coming to the centre. My coffee and support group have become a special part of my week, having a chat together with the group is really special, also the laughter that always sneaks in to our conversations. The staff also are really lovely, and the group are friends I wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for the centre. Thank you for all that you do.

The Holistic Cancer Centre has always been an excellent avenue for additional support for patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Here at the Wirral Breast Unit, we utilise the services of the Holistic Centre by being able to sign post patients for various holistic treatments. The feedback we receive from our patients having attended the Centre is always excellent. We will refer patients throughout their treatment trajectory. It can be particularly effective following initial diagnosis as a way of enabling coping mechanisms and increasing health and wellbeing whilst living beyond cancer.

Currently we have limited access to counselling services, and therefore being able to refer in for specialised support will benefit numerous patients whilst they navigate through a distressing time.

We would like to thank The Holistic Cancer Centre for all the ongoing support and care they give to our patients.

Where else would I have received such a warm, friendly, welcome such as I did at my local holistic centre, Ashburton Rd. I could not believe the atmosphere, it felt so comfortable and homely. This was six and a half years ago, and it remains so to this day.

When one is diagnosed with any type of cancer it is a massive shock to your system, feeling very unprepared and lost as to what to do or where to go for help and advice. This is where you need our holistic centre. Here you can discuss whatever you wish with the trained staff, volunteers and any friendly patients you may meet along the way.

One received so much here in may varied ways, mentally, physically, emotionally, exercise, various groups and activities. Total all round satisfacation.

Also here you have the advantage of trained volunteers providing alternative therapies which for me took away a load of stress if only for the hour and totally relaxed me. This, in a perfect world, would be able to continue. However due to such increase in cancer so many vulnerable people require this help so one needs to wait ones turn!! If ever you are particularly low or vulnerable, they would do their utmost to fit you in if at all physically possible. That’s how kind they all are. The therapists are mostly trained volunteers but there are also trained nurses available at all times plus councillors.

Once you have permission from you Doctor and an assessment completed, you are then entitled to join in all at your own pace.

I attend a support and coffee group which I have done now for six and a half years, the members have now all become good friends. We have loads of fun and converse about this, that and the other, putting the world to rights naturally!!

There are different groups you can join in with if you wish, each making you welcome. To mention a few there is craft, yoga and art.

The centre raise funds obviously being a charity at, fayres, and events and we are wholeheartedly encouraged to participate. We make crafts, donate good and help at these events if we wish.

All in all, a very special place with the most approachable, kind, helpful, understanding wonderful staff EVER.

Hope if you have cancer and are local you will come along and experience for yourself. My partner and I called in just to see what it entailed all those years ago and I will never forget our reception and help. From that visit we were advised what to do, we did it and I still attend as I am the Centre patient. No regrets whatsoever.

P.S – Our life saver and safe haven