Will massage therapy experience w/ Onc pt's be beneficial?

Hello All,

I'm starting my RN program this Spring (excited) and I am extremely drawn to working w/ Oncology patients (personal history, experiences w/ family & friends, I live in a breast cancer "hot-spot," etc.)

I have been volunteering with a massage therapy team at our local hospital and just finished my 200 hour inpatient internship & training. I loved the program, and have had amazing opportunities to work w/ a huge variety of patients from ICU to post-partum to Med/surg to Oncology etc.

There is another program in my community that trains massage therapists to work w/ Oncology patients, particularly low-income women. They ask for a minimum year comittment of volunteer service. It's only 1 4 hour shift per month, but I will be starting nursing school around the same time.

My question is: do you think massage therapy experience with oncology patients could benefit me down the line when I'm trying to get work in the Oncology field as a new grad? Is it worth it to make a year comittment to this new program with nursing school on top of it?

How do you who work in Oncology feel about massage therapy for patients? Do you think the field is receptive to this??

Many thanks for your response!