Post-cancer
Thermal
Treatment
Julia
Testifies
My story begins in April 2022.
I have a mammogram, and then...
time is long, in fact.
It's a long time before the person comes back,
and the knife fell.
I was told I had a...
injury.
The ground gives way... So what do we do?
What do you do once you've been diagnosed
that it's breast cancer?
On 18 May, the surgery was performed.
The rest was very hard.
I'm in so much pain
to the point where I couldn't move from my bed.
I had the appointment with the surgeon,
and he admitted me to hospital.
Infection, skin necrosis...
Everything was removed.
The fat, the skin...
Heavy treatment at home, I'll be discharged
after 15 days, continued hospitalisation at home...
So the process goes on,
with the chemo phase and then the radiotherapy phase.
Dad suggested I come with him to Les Houches.
We went through the lower part of Saint-Gervais and I told him
"But are there any thermal baths there?"
I sent myself for a cure, in fact.
It was the first project I'd actually had
for so many months.
It's a project for me, to feel well, to feel good,
and it's my oxygen bubble, really.
The spa park, just that, is magical for me.
It resonates with me, this nature, this open setting, the water.
It's everything that makes you want to push yourself.
That's what triggers it!
That's what makes everything suddenly possible again,
and to see these mountains, this extra time that changes,
it just echoes so much of what we're going through.
I think it's the greatest gift I've ever given myself.
I love the group, the collective.
It really creates motivation and emulation
from our desire to kick ass!
Every time, people give their all.
The patients and those who look after us
I don't think we talk enough about the cure,
<the value in fact that it represents to find oneself,
and feeling good,
and to be able to
back into society.
PATHOLOGY
Mainly breast cancer, gynaecological cancers, cancers of the ear, nose and throat and digestive tract, skin cancers requiring major surgery and the after-effects of leukaemia.
After chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, there may be skin effects (scars, dry skin, oedema, mobility, pain, etc.).
Your doctor (general practitioner, oncologist, gynaecologist, etc.) will prescribe a thermal treatment for you, specifying a dermatological focus and, if necessary, a dual focus to treat conditions affecting the mucous membranes of the mouth or respiratory tract.
The post-cancer thermal cure is a therapeutic approach designed to help you regain your skin and mental health after cancer treatment. After cancer, the body and mind are particularly affected. Thermal water has a physical effect. The VIVA programme, on the other hand, is designed for the "mind".
The VIVA option is carried out in a group.
Supervised by professionals and surrounded by other spa guests who have undergone the same ordeal, you learn to regain your self-confidence and face the difficulties of everyday life.
THE PROGRAM
VIVA
Adapted physical activities
We will design a personalised programme for you. You will take part in a number of activities with your coach.
First, you will have an individual meeting with your health and fitness coach to define your programme of activities, your goals and your expectations.
You will receive 5 sessions of adapted physical activity over the 3 weeks of the programme. The adapted physical activities are varied. You will work on muscle strength, coordination, endurance, flexibility and balance. The sessions take place outdoors in the thermal park and in the Mont Blanc Spa.
3 group sessions with a relaxation therapist
A great opportunity to share your experiences and difficulties in everyday life.
You will discuss your eating habits with a dietician and, if necessary, how to improve them.
Once a week you'll share a meal with your coach and other VIVA Spa guests.
Personalised wellbeing treatments
Because it's important to take care of yourself, our spa practitioners will give you a 30-minute Radiance Facial. It's up to you when you want it.
Unlimited access to the Mont Blanc Spa
WHEN TO COME ?
On medical advice after chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment or even later. There are no contraindications with adjuvant treatment or targeted therapy.
CANCER AFTER-EFFECTS
THERMAL TREATMENTS
The post-cancer thermal cure can often include treatments in several cures, in other words a cure with a dual orientation.
Cancer treatments are sometimes accompanied by lesions in the mouth; think of the dual orientation: dermatology + oral mucosa. These complementary oral treatments help to reduce inflammation of the gums and restore swallowing comfort.
Must be prescribed by your doctor on the claim form.
SEE DERMATOLOGY TREATMENTS
SEE RESPIRATORY TRACT TREATMENTS
SEE THE TREATMENTS OF THE AMB CURE
BENEFITS
Known for its anti-inflammatory and healing properties, Mont Blanc thermal water has a lasting effect on your skin. With time, the inflammation and the volume of the scars tend to diminish. The healing process is supported by the minerals contained in the Saint-Gervais thermal water.
SKIN SUPPLENESS
Saint-Gervais thermal water is particularly rich in minerals and helps to restructure the skin, making it supple and elastic. For most people, contact with thermal water makes their skin feel smoother.
MOBILITY
In addition to thermal treatments, personalised scar massages are offered by the spa's physiotherapy team, which has over 60 years' experience in scar treatment.
OEDEMES
The warmth of the water has a vasodilating effect and the thermal vapours help to stimulate local microcirculation, thus reducing oedema.
REHYDRATION SOOTHES THE MUCOUS MEMBRANES
Thanks to its high sodium content, Saint-Gervais thermal water helps to regulate the moisture content of the skin and mucous membranes.
FATIGUE & PAIN
The 3-week cure allows you to take care of yourself and rest after the rigours of cancer treatment. The post-cancer dermatological spa treatment helps to combat fatigue. Get back on track and look forward to the future with peace of mind.
EXCHANGE & SHARE
Accompanied by our team of professionals, take a moment for yourself to focus on your physical and mental wellbeing. During your stay you'll have the opportunity to talk to qualified professionals and people from all walks of life. It's a great way to break the isolation caused by your illness and share your experiences and the difficulties of everyday life.
BENEFITS
VIVA
REGAIN YOUR CONFIDENCE
This programme is designed to give you the best possible support and help you move forward with confidence. During these 3 weeks we will give you the "keys". At your end of treatment check up, you'll leave with a personalised programme and three months of physical activities designed by our teams just for you!
Our team will be on hand to listen to you after your treatment and we'll follow up every 3 weeks or so.
RECONSTRUCT
In addition to the post-cancer dermatological treatment, the VIVA programme will help you fight fatigue and anxiety in the heart of the Saint-Gervais resort.
The VIVA programme at your spa will help you regain a positive self-image and learn to take care of yourself and your body.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Under the guidance of a trainer and a team of professionals, you will be able to focus on your physical and mental well-being.
EXCHANGE & SHARE
The Viva programme gives you the opportunity to talk to qualified professionals and people from all walks of life. It's a great way to break the isolation caused by your illness and share your experiences and the difficulties of everyday life.
WHY COME TO SAINT-GERVAIS
FOR A THERMAL TREATMENT?
WATER QUALITY
The quality of the water at the Saint-Gervais thermal baths, which have treated more than 200,000 people for more than 200 years, is of paramount importance.
A CURE ON A HUMAN SCALE
At Saint-Gervais, the people who take the waters are not numbers - they say so themselves! This means that you can spend 3 weeks in an environment where you feel at home, where special attention is paid to each person. It's a bit like a cocoon where you come to take care of yourself! Once a week you'll have the opportunity to share a meal together.
A MAGICAL SETTING
In the heart of a magnificent 10-hectare thermal park, Les Thermes de Saint-Gervais is a unique destination! Surrounded by lush vegetation, the thermal centre is deeply rooted in the Alpine landscape.