Reiki in Hospitals for Cancer Patients

The Reiki is offered as a complement to traditional treatments in many leading hospitals such as Memorial Sloan Kettering, DHMC, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, Bassett Healthcare’s Louis Busch Hager Cancer Center, and the Yale Center. In Memorial Sloan Kettering, Reiki is offered regularly for in-service courses for all hospital staff so that they can integrate it into their patient care.

As part of an on-going study of Reiki at Sloan Kettering, 1,200 patients found Reiki highly beneficial. They described a 50% reduction of pain from their most uncomfortable symptoms after a single treatment and claimed it stayed at that level for at least two days.

With fatigue and anxiety, two very common side effects of chemotherapy and radiation experienced by cancer patients, Reiki produces excellent results. Equally important, Reiki energizes, improves sleep, aids relaxation, and makes it possible for patients to do things thought impossible before. While other pain-reduction methods, such as massage, may be effective for some patients, it is often inappropriate for cancer patients undergoing radiation because their skin may be too sensitive. Reiki, on the other hand, can easily be performed on anyone, in any condition, with healthful effects. Reiki shortens hospital stays, decreases patients’ need for drugs, lessens the side effects of treatment, and improves the quality of life.