One of the dreams of the founder of the Healing Touch Program was that every family might have someone trained in energy work.

Over the last few years Shireen Zant has experienced what a benefit that would be. From hangovers to heaven, Healing Touch has been an invaluable asset.

The introduction came from the Zant's neighbour, Hazel Tait, who was completing her training and needed people to practice on.

Both Shireen and her husband Roy were willing volunteers. Roy 's work takes him away from home for extended periods and he often returned in a high state of stress. So every Saturday morning he was home he had an appointment with Hazel. As Shireen describes it, Roy would "leave a grizzly bear and return a teddy bear." Roy was even more impressed one weekend when he had overdone his usual Friday evening relaxation. Besides being generally more calm, his hangover was gone, too!

Shireen noticed that her own regular Healing Touch sessions greatly reduced her PMS discomfort. The downside to being away on holidays was the return of her symptoms until she got back to regular sessions with Hazel.

So Shireen decided to learn this work to. All too soon she had opportunities to use it. Roy's first cataract operation went normally, with Healing Touch greatly reducing the severe anxiety reaction he normally had when encountering the medical profession.

The second eye was another story. During the operation the cataract shattered. Local doctors were unable to deal with this situation, making a fast rip to Vancouver General necessary. But there were no beds. So Shireen stayed by Roy 's bed in the hall, clearing and calming him as she had been trained, until he was taken into the OR. Wit only local anesthetic, Roy couldn't believe that he didn't faint as he watched the doctor remove the fragments, "like Pac-Man."

Soon afterwards, Roy 's son Stacey, was injured in a car accident. Again Shireen's energy work helped reduce the shock reactions and supported the healing. Now, whenever he visits an HT session is Stacey's first request.

During their most recent challenge both Shireen and Roy used Healing Touch.

Just after Christmas, Roy 's 89-year old mother was found to have extremely advanced cancer. For nearly a month one or both of them has been at her bedside, ready whenever her pain pushed through the medications' boundaries. Roy would hold her head in the way he had found most soothing during his treatments; Shireen would use other pain-reducing techniques. Soon Lil would heave a big sigh and rest comfortably for another 20-30 minutes, when the work would be repeated. Finally her prayers were answered and she passed away peacefully. Though they mourn her loss, the Zants are also at peace, knowing they really were able to help in a most significant way.

Submitted by Joyce Tinney