Mary's Place by the Sea - helping women with cancer

Mary’s Place by the Sea founder Michele Gannon announced that it has received $25,000 from the Merck Foundation to support 215 individual counseling sessions and 400 oncological massages for their guests for one year. These individual services are an integral part of Mary’s Place’s program and the most frequently requested.  The services are provided to guests free of charge, with Mary’s Place absorbing the cost, which is well below market rate.

Mary’s Place by the Sea is a respite home for women who are receiving treatment for cancer or within one year of post-cancer treatment.  They provide services that complement their medical treatment, including oncology massages, individual counseling and nutrition education.  Distinct from other cancer treatment programs with a single focus, Mary’s Place provides a holistic, in-house retreat center, focused on their guests’ mind, body and soul.

The mental health counseling sessions are conducted by a licensed social worker.  The guests meet one-on-one with the counselor, typically for one hour.  After the first session, the guests can request a return visit for more counseling as needed.

Gannon explained:

For many, this is the first time they are speaking about their “disease”. It often takes more than one session for a guest to feel comfortable sharing their feelings and their journey with cancer. With Merck’s help, we will be able to encourage more women to seek this vital service.

The oncology massages are also an integral service to guests.  Massage therapists specifically trained in oncology massage work with guests.  The potential benefits of oncology massage enhance the quality of life for a person with cancer.  These include improved mood by alleviating stress, anxiety, and depression, reduce fatigue and increase energy, enhance sleep, increase alertness and mental clarity, detoxification, without hepatic overload.  In addition, benefits include pain reduction, reduce need for pain medication, increased lymph flow and enhanced immune function, improved range of motion resulting in enhanced joint function, better tolerance for treatment-related side

Since 2009, Mary’s Place has served over 4,500 women in the tri-state area and beyond.  The current home, has bedrooms for up to four women at a time.  Located one block from the beach in Ocean Grove, NJ, they offer services year-round.  All services, meals and accommodations are free of charge for guests.  It is through the generous donations and grants from individuals, organizations and corporations, like the Merck Foundation, that allow Mary’s Place to continue the mission of helping women with cancer to heal; mind, body and soul.

To learn more about Mary’s Place by the Sea please visit www.marysplacebythesea.org. Further information is available at:

https://www.facebook.com/marysplacebythesea