Our mission
Safe Hands for Cancer is just one step forward in the long journey that Abi has been determined to lead the spa industry through. We will continue to campaign for, and create more training, more treatments and more trained therapists for a whole spectrum of customer needs. We’re absolutely determined that Spabreaks.com will not stop pioneering and campaigning, until we know that the benefits of spas are 100% available for absolutely everybody.
A word from Abi
"Our own journey towards making changes to the way the spa industry supports anyone with cancer, came to a head one day in 2012, when I got a phone call from a customer in tears.
Her daughter had bought her a spa day, but when she arrived at her destination and filled in her consultation form, she ticked ‘yes’ in the little box asking if she had cancer. The therapist had unceremoniously sent her away, telling her they couldn’t treat her.
Horrified by the situation and our unwitting role within it, I decided enough was enough, and so we worked with a number of our most trusted spa destinations to set up Recovery Retreats. These were specialised packages for spa days and breaks for anyone with or recovering from cancer. They were the precursor to Safe Hands, and they were an industry game changer. However, they still presented a restricted spa experience for spa goers living with cancer, and so our work has continued alongside that of other industry leaders.
The result of our actions, and those of others, is that the spa industry has changed and continues to do so. The availability of improved training for spa therapists means they can feel confident adapting treatments for anyone with cancer. We are moving towards a space where specialised treatments and packages are not necessary for people with cancer because therapists are able to adapt most treatments or make recommendations, as they would in other circumstances. That’s what we call, Safe Hands."