Complementary therapies

At Weston Park Cancer Support we offer four free Complementary therapy sessions to Cancer Patients in our region to help ease the side effects of cancer treatments* and help improve physical or emotional health.

Our free therapies are delivered by experienced therapists, who can also offer a variety of tips and self-help techniques to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety and enhance physical and emotional wellbeing.*

Patients can also nominate someone they have seen as a key support to access four free sessions.

*Please note that we do not recommend that these therapies be used as a replacement for conventional medical treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and targeted therapy.

Reiki is a non-contact treatment that was originally developed in Japan, with the name translating to ‘universal life energy’.
The therapist places their hands over your body, moving them in a sequence to cover each of the body's 'Chakras', otherwise known as energy fields.
You may feel a slight warmth or tingling in some areas of the body throughout the session as the therapist moves from Chakra to Chakra.

A massage can either be full body or targeted specifically to certain areas. It involves gentle pressure via stroking or kneading of the muscles and surrounding soft tissues to help you relax and ease tension. It can be the perfect way to relax and unwind. The therapist may ask you before your session if you have any particular problem areas and can adjust the pressure to suit you.

Reflexology works in a similar way to acupressure and acupuncture by using the principle that certain points on the feet and hands correspond to different organs and glands in the body.

By applying light but firm pressure with thumb and fingers to areas on the feet, it can stimulate energy pathways allowing the energy to flow freely around the body.

It induces calm and relieves discomfort, improving energy flow around the body. The aim is to restore balance to the body, bring about a state of relaxation and help the body’s own natural healing process.

A hot stone massage involves smooth heated volcanic stones being massaged on targeted areas throughout the body. The heat from the stone means that less pressure can be needed on areas of with high amounts of tension.

Shiatsu is a Japanese bodywork therapy that uses gentle to firm finger, thumb, and palm pressure applied along the body’s energy pathways, known as meridians.

Drawing on principles of traditional Chinese medicine, shiatsu aims to balance the flow of energy while supporting physical structure and emotional wellbeing.

Treatments are typically given through comfortable clothing and involve rhythmic, mindful pressure combined with stretches and joint movements.

Shiatsu is used to promote relaxation, reduce tension, and support the body in managing stress, pain, fatigue, and a range of chronic conditions. By encouraging deep calm and improved circulation, it helps activate the body’s natural self-healing mechanisms.

The therapy emphasizes connection, responsiveness, and whole-person care, making it both restorative and grounding for overall wellbeing.

Body-based acupuncture is a holistic therapy rooted in traditional Chinese medicine that involves inserting fine needles into specific points along the body’s meridian pathways. These points are chosen to influence the flow of energy (Qi), support organ function, and restore balance within the body.

Treatment is tailored to the individual, taking into account physical symptoms, emotional wellbeing, and overall health, with sessions designed to be calm, precise, and therapeutic.

This form of acupuncture is commonly used to help manage pain, musculoskeletal conditions, stress, fatigue, digestive issues, and hormonal or emotional imbalances. By stimulating targeted points, body-based acupuncture aims to regulate the nervous system, improve circulation, and encourage the body’s natural healing processes.

It is often used as part of an integrated care approach, supporting both symptom relief and long-term wellbeing.

Auricular acupuncture is a therapeutic technique based on stimulating specific points on the ear that correspond to different organs and systems of the body.

Rooted in traditional Chinese medicine and further developed through modern neurophysiological research, it is founded on the idea that the ear acts as a microsystem of the whole body.

Fine needles, ear seeds, or small studs are applied to targeted points to help regulate physical, emotional, and neurological functions.

The above complementary therapies take place at our Cavendish Centre (34 Wilkinson St, Broomhall, Sheffield S10 2GB).

To find out more about any of these therapies or to book an appointment please contact us:

• Drop by any of our locations
• Phone us on 0114 553 3330
• Email us at cancersupport@wpcancercharity.org.uk

Please note: in order to book a complementary therapy, we will need to ask for a few details about your general health and any treatment that you might be having. In some cases, we may also ask your permission to contact your clinical team to ensure that you are safe to have a therapy.

We understand that you may book an appointment and then be unable to attend or not feel well enough. However, as this is a very popular service, we do ask that you let us know as soon as possible so that we may offer the appointment to somebody else.