Massage Warehouse, providers of cost-effective massage products, announced that proceeds from its philanthropic arm Massage Warehouse Sanctuary (MWS) during the Florida State Massage Therapy Association (FSMTA) convention were awarded to Tiffany Field, Ph.D., director of the Touch Research Institute (TRI) of the University of Miami School of Medicine. During the MWS event, participants experienced the benefits of massage. Their $10 per 10-minute also supported TRI’s research into the medical and scientific impact of massage. “We are pleased to continue our support of TRI and its groundbreaking studies on the effects of touch therapy at all stages of life, from newborns to senior citizens,” says Kray Kibler, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Massage Warehouse. “Sanctuary is our way to give back to the massage therapy industry by supporting worthy organizations, foundations, and research.” Studies by TRI have shown that touch therapy has many positive effects, including facilitating weight gain in preterm infants, enhancing attentiveness, alleviating depressive symptoms, reducing pain and stress hormones, and improving immune function. Sanctuary treatments include basic reflexology, stone massage, hot/cold contract protocols, and herbal ball treatment. Funds for the donation also came from corporate sponsors, including Massage Warehouse, Biofreeze/Performance Health, Biotone, Bon Vital, Custom Craftworks, Massage Magazine, MPA Media/Massage Today, Soothing Touch, and Sa Wan/TH Stone. Field adds, “Sanctuary has played an important role in funding our ongoing research surrounding the healing touch of massage on depressed pregnant women, as well as the health benefits to their unborn babies, such as higher birth weights and fewer premature deliveries.”
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