FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 15, 2008
 
CONTACT:
Bob Hornstein, 617-859-3036, ext. 28
bhornstein@pathwaysboston.org
 
Beth Sommers, 617-859-3036, ext. 24
bsommers@pathwaysboston.org
 
 
Pathways to Wellness Receives Research Grant from The Massage Therapy Foundation
 
BOSTON – Holistic therapies provider, Pathways to Wellness, has been awarded a $20,000 grant by The Massage Therapy Foundation.
 
According to Beth Sommers, research director at Pathways to Wellness, the grant will be used to conduct a study on integrating massage into a program for adolescent girls at risk of diabetes. Called “Win Win Hands On”, the project teams with a South End Community Health Center program that provides nutrition information, cooking classes, and exercise for girls whose weight puts them at added risk for developing the disease. The program will run throughout the school year.
 
Two years ago, Pathways received a Community Service Award from the Massage Therapy Foundation to conduct a pilot project on the same issue. The popularity of the massage, especially among the families of the participants, made it an incentive for participants to attend the sessions that promote healthy eating habits.
 
 “The Win Win Hands On program helps address the ongoing need for services to underserved populations in our community and is a good example of the integrative approach to health and wellness that our partnership with South End Community Health Center represents”, says Sommers.
 
For more information on the Win Win Hands On program, contact Beth Sommers at (617) 859-3036 ext. 24.
 
About Pathways to Wellness
Pathways to Wellness, a nonprofit public health organization, provides holistic therapies including acupuncture, shiatsu, and Chinese herbal medicine. Open to all people needing care, Pathways practitioners work collaboratively in a team environment and in conjunction with Western medical professionals to offer an integrated approach to care. Pathways to Wellness is one of the largest public health holistic therapies clinics in the country providing 14,000 treatments to over 1,300 clients annually. Pathways is also the largest US provider of free acupuncture care to people living with HIV/AIDS. For more information on Pathways to Wellness and its services visit www.pathwaysboston.org or call 617-859-3036.
 
About the Massage Therapy Foundation
The Massage Therapy Foundation was founded by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) in 1990 with the mission of bringing the benefits of massage therapy to the broadest spectrum of society through the generation, dissemination, and application of knowledge in this field. We do this by receiving donations and granting funds for research, community service, educational initiatives, and conferences. We also do this by providing direct consultation to the medical and research communities, and by educating massage therapists about the world of research. For more information on the Massage Therapy Foundation visit www.massagetherapyfoundation.org or call 847-869-5019.
 
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Bob Hornstein
Marketing
Pathways to Wellness
1601 Washington Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA  02118
ph. 617-859-3036 x28
fax 617-859-0965