Feldenkrais & Cancer

Aislinn’s story

My name is Aislinn and I am a 29 year old secondary breast cancer patient.

I first tried Feldenkrais classes in Melbourne when I was too weak from chemo to continue yoga classes. I found these to be very helpful and was so glad to be able to do some sort of stretching again. Then I lost my job and could no longer afford classes.

I found work again months later and found the strength to resume yoga, swimming, cycling and walking, but never returned to Feldenkrais. I had ‘fallen off the wagon’.

Two years later, I experienced extreme back pain. My chiro, who usually fixed my back problems, was unable to solve it and I was so tense a masseur could barely have touched me. I couldn’t even eat as the knots had spread to my stomach also! I didn’t know where to turn.

Luckily, mum put me onto a unique blend of Feldenkrais and observation skills that helped ease the pain and gave me greater freedom of movement.

I learned the cause of the problem was incorrect movement patterns in my left shoulder following the removal of cancerous lymph nodes under my left armpit six months earlier.

Through one-on-one Feldenkrais sessions, I managed to get myself into a much better state.

I am now pain-free and I hope to regain full movement in my left arm soon.

Thank you to Moshe Feldenkrais himself. Without his technique, I am sure many people would still be painfully crippled today!