Kissing it Better

16 May 2013

For the past three weeks, and until the end of term, the College’s Beauty Department have been giving mini treatments to the patients at the QEII hospital, WGC. 

Tutors Nancy Tobitt-Yates and Jackie Coles have taken 12 students each week, who were at first apprehensive of what the experience would be like – as the patients are often very poorly. But all of the students, all of which have volunteered, have coped really well and feel a great sense of giving as they realised that the patients enjoyed what they were doing and look forward to the visits immensely. 

The students have been introduced to this voluntary work in a very safe environment with the support of tutors and the staff of the charity ‘Kissing it Better’.

Students have given an array of treatments including hand massages and file & paint nail treatments but the majority of the experience has been talking to the patients. The staff also receive treatments to help break up their 12 hour, very stressful day. 

Beauty Tutor, Nancy Tobitt-Yates, commented: “Two of the visitors of a terminally ill patient sent a message to the students that their family member had passed away just after we left but that the interlude that the students provided for them was a blessed time in their whole experience. 

“We are going to put into place a rolling programme next academic year so that all students and tutors will be going along for a 6 week stint so that everyone gets an opportunity to share this experience.”