"During a patient’s fragile last months and days, the patient spends longer periods of time in bed. Your massage therapists have made a significant impact on our patients by bringing them comfort and dignity, not to mention the volunteer’s kind smile and conversation. You have put together a great team of caring and committed massage therapists who are willing to help and love our patients.”
-Donna Miller Hospice Care of the West
Heart Touch is an organization that has created a model of volunteerism that is certainly remarkable. They have taken on the careful training of massage therapists to develop them into skilled compassionate health care providers and have partnered with us to create a hospital based massage program that, in its limited scope, is unparalleled.”
Karen Livingston, RPT
Manager Rehabilitation Services
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
“I have worked with The Heart Touch Project and its volunteers since 2003. Heart Touch has helped to develop our Infant Massage Program, teach our nurses infant massage, and provide volunteers for Gentle Touch/Infant Massage sessions with our babies. The volunteers are profoundly compassionate and professional with the babies, families and staff in our unit in such a variety of circumstances and often involving a great deal of stress. Heart Touch has been an essential partner in making the dream of our massage program become a reality.”
Ellen Horwitz, RN
Director NICCU Massage Program
Neonatal and Infant
Critical Care Unit
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
“Your volunteers in providing massages for our patients have contributed to the better care of our patients who are in their last stages of life. The massages not only assist in the reduction of stress for our patients, they also provide kind human touch to those who sometimes just need a touch from someone who cares. The Heart Touch Project has assisted me in doing a better job of providing services for our hospice patients. I personally see the positive impact it has, not only on the patients to whom the services are being rendered, but to their family as well, as they see that their family member is receiving not only medical care, but emotional and therapeutic touch as well.”
Elizabeth Davis
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care
From Families
“On behalf of the NICU nursing staff at UCLA, I want to express our utmost gratitude towards your organization. Your dedicated and skilled infant massage trainers have provided education to more than 50 nurses and respiratory therapists in our NICU. This unique experience reminded all of us who take care of sick babies everyday the importance of nurturing the human spirit, no matter how small the patient is.”
Bess Heliker, RN, MN
NICU Clinical Nurse Specialist
Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA