Making spa treatments more accessible for anyone with or recovering from cancer is something Spabreaks.com has sought to help facilitate since we first began. There has been a need for awareness, empowerment of the individual, better therapist training, improved product lines and changes in the insurance industry. While there is still work to be done, industry game changers like Macdonald Hotels and Resorts are helping to take that accessibility to the next level.
The nationwide hotel and spa collection has become amongst first hotel chains to introduce spa treatments for cancer patients. Working with the esteemed Jennifer Young product line and therapist training, they tried the programme at four of their hotels with great success. The result is that they are now introducing the training across their collection.
Macdonald Hotels and Resorts chose to introduce Jennifer Young spa treatments in response to consumer demand and with a desire to welcome all guests without any limitations. Historically, spas have always needed to ask guests with cancer for a doctor’s note, which therapists at the collection felt created a barrier to entry and undermined what should be a welcoming experience. By introducing specialist treatments and protocols Macdonald Hotels and Resorts wanted to enable a more inclusive environment.
Macdonald Hotels and Resorts say the treatments have received an excellent reception. The particular beauty of the approach the group is taking, is that therapies are being offered as an option on regular packages rather than being part of specific spa experiences. So guests with cancer can visit their spas on the same spa package as a friend or loved one. It also means that if a guest arrives at the spa without having made them aware of their health status in advance, they can be offered spa treatments, where in advance they wouldn’t have been able to.
Driven by a passion to fight injustice, Jennifer Young created her product line and therapist training at the request of nurses at her local hospital. Designed for people while they’re going through cancer treatment, it is scent free and carefully crafted with all the ingredients to make sure they’re safe to use. Her products also tackle key skin issues that often occur as a result of cancer therapies, such as cracked skin, breaking nails, sore cuticles, skin discolouration, chapped lips. She has also worked to break down barriers and making a huge difference in the lives of anyone affected by cancer.
“I’ve been that person on the end of the phone turning people away because we didn’t have the ability to offer them safe treatments when they had, or were recovering from, cancer. It’s a terrible feeling and goes completely against what we’re trying to do for people in the spa. For us, this is about making it easy for anyone to have a spa break and really helping people to enjoy their time with us.”
Spa Manager, Claire
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