Remedial and Allied Health Practitioner / Oncology and Palliative Massage Practitioner
Chris is a highly accomplished figure in Queensland’s remedial therapy profession. He is the only remedial massage therapist who was employed by a private hospital in Queensland - the Mater - where he spent seven years, and is one of only a few in Queensland who is highly trained in oncology and palliative massage.
With more bachelors, diplomas and certificates than you can count on two hands, Chris has worked in remedial massage for 17 years, including within multi-disciplinary teams comprised of physiotherapists, surgeons and occupational therapists.
Not to mention, when Pink, Guns N Roses, Billy Joel, U2, Cirque du Soleil and elite athletes are in town, they contract Chris to utilise his expertise and skill for recovery from the physically demanding work.
Chris spent the first 18 years of his working life as a qualified chef, seven of which he spent in remote parts of the world such as Antarctica, Borneo, Africa and the Amazon Jungle, catering for National Geographic film and documentary teams.
His passion for helping people through oncology and palliative massage came at a time when he was his most vulnerable - undergoing cancer treatment, which he did twice. At the end of a heavy chemotherapy course, friends of Chris suggested he go for a massage to feel better. Chris’s experience of being treated like a leper, and with clinics refusing to massage him, led to feelings of anger and fear about the lack of knowledge in dealing with cancer patients.
Chis channelled this into the study of massage, specialising in cancer and palliative massage and areas such as lymphatics, which a lot of clinics shy away from. Today, he is a leading figure in providing remedial massage for elite athletes, pre- and post-surgery lymphatic drainage massage, rehabilitation processes, pre- and post-natal massage and beauty therapy.
He also has a keen interest in helping individuals psychologically, through grief and loss, which he also holds qualifications in.
Chris says the most rewarding part of the job is achieving great results when working with clients and cancer patients, reducing their pain, fatigue, nausea and other side effects such as neuropathy and lymphedema that are common with chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.
If you have cancer, are undergoing chemotherapy, or are experiencing another ailment remedial massage could assist with, book a consult with Chris at Body Techniques to see how he can help.