Sophie Shaw – St Joseph’s Hospice
Analysis of Reiki Activity for Sam Buxton
Sunflower Healing Trust
From 05/02/14 – 08/05/14
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Data and Charts
3. MYCAW
4. Case Examples
5. Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
I have been on staff as a Reiki Practitioner at St Joseph's Hospice since 5th Feb 14; previous to this I volunteered here for a
year in the same position, though working fewer hours.
In this report I will try to demonstrate the kind of work I have been doing, the kind of people I have been seeing, the
different conditions I have been working with and the effect of the treatments on those who have been treated.
DATA AND CHARTS
Reiki sessions take place in a variety of locations and are offered to a number of different people. A session can last
anywhere between 20 minutes and an hour, give or take, depending on need. The shortest sessions given were 20
minutes, and tended to be on the wards. The longest was 75 minutes and took place in a treatment room in Finding
Space. The average treatment length is approximately 30-40 minutes.
Between these dates, I have seen:
Total number of treatments
Total number of patients
Average treatments per
patient
Most treatments per patient
Fewest treatments per patient
70
36
1.94
12
1
Those who have received Reiki can be broken down into the following categories:
Patient Breakdown
1 - Patient
2a - StJH Relative
2b - Non-STJH Carer
4 - DropIn
36
28
7
0
1
0, 0%
Patient Breakdown
1, 3%
7, 19%
1 - Patient
2a - StJH Relative
28, 78%
2b - Non-STJH Carer
4 - DropIn
We can see that about ¾ of those treated are St Joseph’s Patients. St Joseph’s has three Wards; St Michael’s, St Anne’s
and Lourdes. It also operates a Day Hospice for outpatients and, in addition, has four treatment rooms in Finding Space,
also for outpatients. It also runs a fortnightly Neuro Support Group for people with neurological conditions and their
families/carers.
St Michael’s and Lourdes wards are most often used for patients at the very end of their lives, whilst St Anne’s is more
frequently used for respite.
Patients have come from the following locations:
36
5
9
4
5
3
10
0
1st Treatment Location
Saint Anne's Ward
Saint Michael's Ward
Lourdes Ward
Finding Space (outpatients)
Day Hospice
Neuro Support Group NSG
Other
1st Treatments by Location
40
30
20
10
0
36
5
9
4
5
3
10
0
This represents the number of patients from each location – not the number of treatments that have taken place in each
location, which is obviously greater.
A large variety of concerns have been treated; the types of concerns that have been treated and the frequency with
which they occur can be categorised in the following way:
92
15
20
15
0
5
17
4
1
3
7
4
0
1
5
21
All concerns treated
Muscular Skeletal Pain
Internal pain
Breathing
Sleep
Stress
Anxiety
Grief
Nausea/vomiting
Swelling/Oedema
Tiredness/low energy
Pins & needles/numbness
Sweating/hot flushes
Headaches/migraines
Digestive Troubles
Other - pls comment
Complaints treated
100
92
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
20
15
15
10
5
0
0
21
17
4
1
3
7
4
0
1
5
We can see that pain (both internal and muscular-skeletal), breathing and anxiety are most frequently treated. There are
also a number of ‘other’ conditions being addressed. These are as follows:
'Other' Breakdown
21
Confusion
Visual Focus
Range of Movement
2
2
1
2
Temperature Regulation
5
Cough
4
Depression*
2
Physical Instability
1
Tremors
1
Relaxation
1
Catarrh
*As distinct from anxiety, stress and grief.
'Other' Breakdown
25
21
20
15
10
2
5
5
4
2
2
1
2
1
1
1
0
MYCAW SCORES
MYCAW, as you are probably aware, stands for Measure Your Concerns And Wellbeing. Patients are asked to score their
discomfort from 0-6, where 0 is the best and 6 the worst, both before and after treatment. They do this for up to two
concerns being treated per session. On some occasions, where it has been inappropriate or impractical to quiz the
patient, I have completed the scores on their behalf, based on my observations and the comments of family or friends
who might be present. Equally, on some occasions it has not been possible to enter scores (if a patient is unconscious and
demonstrates no obvious improvement, for instance), or it may not have been relevant (if a patient has no concerns and
is having treatment simply for the purpose of relaxation, for instance).
The following are tables that demonstrate the efficacy of the treatments over this time period – or at least, the perceived
benefit to the patient.
Average Change – All patients, all treatments
MYCAW Average Change
All patients all treatments
6.00
MYCAW SCORE
5.00
4.24
4.00
3.00
MYCAW Condition 1
2.94
2.41
MYCAW Condition 2
2.00
1.67
1.00
0.00
Pre
Post
On average, we can see that patients have experienced a significant reduction in perceived discomfort in both conditions
being treated.
CASE EXAMPLES
PATIENT A
A was a patient on St Michael’s Ward with multiple myeloma. I saw her 12 times in the weeks and days leading up to her
death, finally on a daily basis. We developed a close relationship during the process and this extended to her daughter
too, who I also treated for anxiety and sympathetic pain with great success.
Before one of my last sessions with A, she had been unconscious for some time, had not moved her bowels for several
days, had a high temperature, had difficulty breathing and the medical staff was no longer actively treating her condition,
but allowing her to pass away. Immediately following our treatment, she awoke for 10 hours, moved her bowels
copiously, spoke with her family, coughed up and cleared a lot from her lungs, her temperature normalised and the
medical staff resumed her treatment. She passed away a few days later, but her family were thrilled to see her awake and
communicating for this time. They said that it was clear that A always ‘felt it’ (the benefits of the Reiki energy), even when
she was not awake. They felt that it had been the “saving grace” of A’s time at the hospice.
PATIENT B
B is an outpatient with breast cancer, who receives treatment in Finding Space. She is a very practical woman in a
stressful managerial position. She has been suffering with chronic pain and anxiety. Her progress and improvement over
only 6 sessions has been marked and extremely gratifying. Following our last session, B said that she felt "really noticeably
better" and that there had been "pow moment" during the session, like a "starburst" of release.
PATIENT C
C cares for her mum, who is a patient at St Joseph's Hospice in very poor health. She is again a practical and capable
woman, also experiencing anxiety. Following our last session, she said she could "take on anything now. With regard to
anxious thoughts and mental 'noise' keeping her awake, she said she "couldn't think of any words" during the treatment.
PATIENTS D AND E
D and E are the bereaved parents of a St Joseph’s patient, who come to the Neuro Support Group. D, who has had an
arthritic knee, felt his pain reduce from 6/6 to 0/6. More to the point, it has not re-appeared since. He has called me a
“miracle worker” (I’m not!). E was experiencing severe anxiety, especially relating to the sale of her deceased son’s flat.
Following one of our sessions, she told me that she had been able to be in his flat without experiencing any anxiety at all.
She has made wonderful progress and says it is a case of “getting a different feeling in your body”.
CONCLUSION
I am gratified that so many people have derived so much comfort from their Reiki treatments at the Hospice. It is
wonderful getting positive feedback – and identifying areas where improvement is needed. Where there have been
‘teething’ problems (getting access to patients, finding comfortable working positions on the ward, building emotional
resilience), these have all been resolved extremely positively.
I have found the last few months at the Hospice extremely rewarding – and challenging. It has been humbling to be with
patients at the very end of their lives, I have felt enormously privileged as well as moved. I have found it challenging to
develop close relationships with some patients who then, inevitably, die. As a consequence, we identified that training in
Building Emotional Resilience was a good idea. I have now taken this training and I found it extremely helpful.
I look forward to seeing patients more than once or twice; developing relationships with them and the staff and becoming
a recognised ‘fixture’ at the hospice. The intensity with which I am involved in the life of the Hospice has changed
dramatically since transitioning from volunteer to staff member and I am very grateful for that.
Many thanks indeed to the Sam Buxton Sunflower Healing Trust for funding my position – it is bringing comfort to those
who truly need it and I am thrilled to be a part of that.