It is always interesting to see complementary therapies on television, but often frustrating to see them represented in a misleading way. A character in the ITV soap Emmerdale has turned to alternative therapy after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
As a volunteer at a hospice I fully support complementary therapies as a part of cancer care and see their positive effects on many patients' well being. I do not however advocate the use of therapies instead of medical care.
In the popular soap Brenda is choosing complementary therapy and potentially turning her back on the doctors advice. Her family are understandably concerned. The storyline appears to suggest that the therapist has told Brenda her cancer can be cured by the nutritional therapy. This aspect of the plot is particularly worrying. Reputable therapists do not claim to cure or diagnose medical conditions. As a reflexologist my professional body states clearly that treating or curing medical conditions is not within the role of a registered therapist. I hope that the story line continues on to discredit this therapist and introduce a more reputable one. Watching Brenda's character's sense of well being benefit from complementary therapies whilst also keeping an open mind towards appropriate medical treatment would be a positive, informative story.
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