Manitoba Chamber of Commerce
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/141831
"They're sexier looking than the basic old traditional ones. It gives them a way to begin to claim their womanhood back." Menzies also offers help with venous insufficiency, post-surgery edema, orthopedic massage and relaxation massage. "It's my goal to provide people in rural Manitoba with a place to go that doesn't require city driving. Morden's a small city. Surrounding this town, people travel for quite a distance to have their treatment here," she says. "For some, it's not even an option to drive to Winnipeg because driving in the city scares them. They've never had to drive in the big city. They don't know their way around." Menzies says most patients want to have some independence and in some cases, she can help with that too. "I train them how to do some lymph drainage. Any time they sit down and elevate their arm, they can do some self-treatment. They can take care of it themselves and not become dependent on having other people do that for them," she says. "It's really amazing to have the patients walk out and see that glimpse of hope in their eyes. My goal is to help people out, especially the patients who have had a rough go of life. I just want to give them that little bit of extra local support. I'm hoping it's going to pay off for them and their everyday well-being." Morden Massage Therapy Centre also acts as a training hub for students who need practical experience to graduate from one of Manitoba's two massage colleges. That's an advantage for students who live in the Pembina Valley and for local people who may not have extended health insurance but still want the benefits of massage. "My clinic can offer this at a much smaller cost than professional massage treatments," Menzies says. "Although all these different aspects of reaching out to my community take a little extra time and effort, I feel I am the one who is blessed at the end of the day when I see we've been able to help a patient is some way — big or small." P E M B I N A VA L L E Y T he road to recovery is a little bit shorter for cancer patients in Morden these days. Morden Massage Therapy Centre owner Linda Menzies offers a local treatment option for lymphedema, which most commonly occurs after mastectomies if lymph nodes also removed. "We have an excellent hospital out here with an excellent cancer care unit. But for the women that had mastectomies that needed lymphedema care, their only option was to travel to Winnipeg to the closest lymphedema therapist," Menzies says. "At the start, sometimes the patient is going to require a treatment every day, sometimes twice a day." Normally, the lymph system filters excess fluid from our bodies. If lymph nodes are removed, fluid from the arm doesn't have anywhere to drain and the arm swells up, she explains. "We treat the arm and get them into a compression sleeve and a compression bra, if needed. It keeps the arm compressed so that it can't swell up. The fluid is forced back up the arm and hopefully along the spine or sternum. It will go to the healthy lymph nodes that can take it away." Menzies trained in Victoria, B.C., to become a certified lymphedema therapist. When she realized her patients still had to travel to Winnipeg for their compression garments, she trained in Toronto to become an expert fitter. "It's been getting busier at a pretty fast rate as women realize they can actually go for these treatments locally," she says. "The changes are amazing." A director for the Massage Therapy Association of Manitoba in charge of regional initiatives, Menzies aims to be a one-stop-shop to provide more options for people struggling with cancer. "So many options have been taken away from them. They don't have a choice about whether they get cancer or not. It seems to hit everybody and anybody these days," she says. "Here we have some options available in really beautiful compression sleeves. There are some beautiful, bright colours you can get," she says, adding bra styles have also come a long way. PEMBINA VALLEY ALTONA & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MORDEN & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MORRIS & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PLUM COULEE & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ROSENORT & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WINKLER & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NEW & NOTEWORTHY >> Altona & District Chamber of Commerce has created its own Business Excellence Awards. The first two recipients are Red River Mutual Insurance (11 employees or more), and Nora's Diner (10 employees or less). RRMI employs 60 full-time staff in Altona and supports the Altona Community Foundation, Field of Dreams, Blue Sky Opportunities Residence and many other causes. Nora's Diner owners Jeff and Kathy Dyck have built a reputation for quality food and service as well as community engagement. Jeff is also a member of the Gretna town council. >> Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (Manitoba division) awarded a posthumous Pioneer Award to Friesens Corp. founder David W. Friesen in March. The award celebrates individuals who began a manufacturing business and nurtured it into a successful company. Friesen added book sales to his confectionary business in 1923, and a print shop and wholesale stationery supply business followed in 1930. Friesens Corp. is now one of Canada's largest printing companies with more than 600 employees. >> The Manitoba Stampede & Exhibition marks a milestone with its 50th rodeo July 18 - 21 in Morris. Manitoba's only professional rodeo, it attracts 25,000 to 30,000 cowpokes and spectators each summer. Morris also hosted the 2013 Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries 55 Plus Games in June. MBiz June 2013 15 MBiz June 2013_final.indd 15 6/21/13 2:55:07 PM