reiki projects

Why do Reiki in hospital? The “Reiki in hospital” project organised by the Cerchiodiluce association was launched in 2002, after many years’ experience of Reiki therapy for people facing operations, serious illness and long-term treatment. Having noted that in most cases Reiki is beneficial in emotional terms, effective in reducing pain and accelerating post-surgical recovery, it was decided that the time had come to propose to the medical world a study featuring a more systematic appraisal of the efficacy of this method.

Training Course for Reiki Practitioners in Hospital

Research projects Since January 2003 the association has activated four different research projects, three in collaboration with the Haematology and Oncology Department of the Molinette Hospital (C.O.E.S.) in Turin and one with the NPO F.A.R.O. Foundation in Turin. The results of these studies demonstrate the benefits of Reiki treatment on patients, as further acknowledged by the publication of the research paper in the authoritative American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine – October 2011.

Below is a brief description of the various projects (for further information, see the documents available for download and the description of experiences with patients and practitioners).

January 2003 Collaboration with the Haematology and Oncology Department of the Molinette Hospital in Turin (C.O.E.S.) on a research project approved by the Ethics Committee and Health Administration: twice a week for about one year two practitioners offered the patients free treatment, gathering their impressions of the experience through an assessment questionnaire. The results of this first study demonstrated benefits in terms of the reduction of pain and physical and emotional distress generated by the relaxation induced by Reiki treatment.

September 2004 – June 2005 A pilot project in collaboration with the Day Hospital of the Haematology and Oncology Department of the Molinette Hospital in Turin (C.O.E.S.): 94 treatments were administered to 27 patients with advanced cancer, with a predominance of patients suffering from metastatic cancer of the breast and colon. Again, the results demonstrated the positive effect of the therapy in terms both of psychological support for cancer patients addressing the process of diagnosis and treatment and as a supplement to conventional treatment.

October 2006 – December 2008 Research in collaboration with the Day Hospital of the Haematology and Oncology Department of the Molinette Hospital in Turin (C.O.E.S.): development of the pilot project. This study aimed at obtaining a statistically significant number of data and treated patients; consequently 215 treatments were administered to 118 patients. Assessment of the effects of the Reiki treatment on pain and anxiety was assessed immediately before and immediately after each session using a questionnaire. The first part of the questionnaire records the patient’s medical history and was compiled by the nurses using data from the patient’s medical record. Anxiety and pain were recorded using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), completed by a description of the physical feelings perceived by the patients. All patients were required to give their written informed consent in order to take part in the study. The results of the project were published in the October 2011 issue of the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine demonstrating that treatments had been helpful in improving wellbeing (70%), relaxation (88%), pain relief (45%), sleep quality (34%) and reducing anxiety (70%); more specifically, it was emphasised that pain and anxiety levels in patients who had received the full cycle of four treatments demonstrated a statistically significant reduction.

2010 – Now In collaboration with the NPO F.A.R.O. Foundation of Turin and the Sergio Sugliano F.A.R.O. Hospice, a research project to assess the effects of Reiki on anxiety in patients in the Hospice.

Practitioners from the association are also active in the Cardiac Surgery department of the Regina Margherita Children’s hospital (to see what we do, click here). If you are a Reiki practitioner and would like to take part in the project click here. FURTHER INFORMATION: Go to the documents download page.