CREDIT: STEPHANIE LAI
Sara Cameron and Rebecca Benati pose in front of Mend's sign outside D2006 after the official launch on September 23.

The opening of clinic Mend on campus means that staff, students and the public can pop by D2006 to enjoy a 45-minute massage from Fanshawe Massage Therapy students.

The purpose of Mend is to help massage students fulfill clinic hours, but it also gives them firsthand experience treating conditions with real clients.

“It gives us experience,” said student Sara Cameron. “We get to work with real clients and we get to work with the public … Instead of practicing fake conditions on each other we’ll actually get to deal with real conditions.”

The official launch of Mend was September 23, and the students are already seeing clients.

“It’s been really good,” Cameron said. “I’ve just had people who want relaxation massage. I’ve had really good feedback so far because that’s my favourite type of massage to do.”

Cameron said she likes to work with people who have stress in their upper backs.

“I know a lot of students have stress in their shoulders and their necks so I like to work on that.”

Massage Therapy program co-ordinator, Wendi Roscoe said she hopes the experience through Mend is a good learning one.

“Hopefully they get to get experience with different injuries and conditions so that they can practice all the different kinds of assessments and orthopedic testing and putting together a treatment plan so they can help.”

The students aren’t treating alone, however.

“They will definitely have guidance,” said Roscoe. “We always have clinical supervisors that are there to help with everything along the way.”

If students come across a condition they are unfamiliar with, the shift supervisor will be on-hand to walk them through it.

“We would go over any precautions that might exist with that condition,” said instructor and supervisor Tracie Stolyk. “We would review it with them … during treatment itself we’re there to help.”

“That way we can guide them through the process of treating the condition that they’re maybe not familiar with.”

Cameron said she and her peers get nervous before a shift at the clinic.

“Everyone gets stressed out before their client,” she said. “But after … it’s really rewarding, especially when you get feedback whether it’s positive or negative because that just benefits us even it is negative.”

Cameron holds a degree in kinesiology from Western University and said she’s pursuing massage so she can work with people.

“I knew I wanted to work with people, and I wanted to have an active career … instead of physiotherapy, I decided to do massage therapy.”

Cameron says everyone could use a massage, and the price point appeals to the college crowd. Fanshawe staff and students can enjoy a 45-minute massage for $12, and the public can enjoy the same for $24.

Appointments can be booked online at mendmassage.ca.