Complimentary therapies are being widely used in hospices around the region. Audrey Forbes takes a look at the benefits to patients. Bob Robinson is transported to a calm and serene place. The soothing affects of reiki leave his mind clear and relaxed. The 67-year-old was diagnosed with leukaemia five years ago and also suffers back problems. He visits Teesside Hospice weekly from his Acklam home where he has complementary therapy. "It helps me to relax more. The people who do it are lovely and I have a good rapport with them. It helps me clear my head and have some moments to myself." The grandad has massage and reiki during each visit. "The gentle massage relaxes all the muscles and helps to get the knots out. "Once I've had that done I have reiki. It helps me to relax more." The great-grandfather of eight believes the therapies should be available everywhere. "I think they should have complementary therapies like this in all hospices. They are wonderful for patients." Practitioner Eveann Campbell-Coates has healing hands. The 62-year-old combines reiki, India head massage, reflexology and aromatherapy to help relax patients at the hospice. Eveann has been practising reiki at the hospice for three years, and aromatherapy for 15. She became involved with the hospice after Macmillan nurses asked her to give a talk on complementary therapies. "Complementary therapies are quite widely used in hospices. They helps with relaxation and pain relief." Many of her patients are cancer sufferers or have motor neurone disease. "It's quite a focus for them sometimes. It's very important that the patients should feel pampered and that they are worthy people." Aromatherapy has many benefits for patients. "A lot of our patients are suffering from anxiety and stress so we tend to use the more calming oils rather than the more powerful stimulants like basil and peppermint. "Patients here have a low immune system as a result of the cancer so they are prone to getting infections." Reiki is gentle with no manipulation. "It helps to balance the energies. The name means universal life energy. "During each treatment the energy is directed through the hands of the practitioner to accelerate healing of mind, body and soul." A practitioner has to be given an 'attunement' to open up their reiki energy which is all around. "It's like turning a radio on to a certain station. You tune into the energy. "When you're doing a treatment it's like plugging a plug into an electric socket. The practitioner is a channel for the energy." Eveann and her volunteer Denise Dewar are hoping to bring a new therapy to the hospice called the 'M' technique. "It's a form of massage which is specifically designed for hospice patients." | 
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