Maurizio Perna, Canada

Latest Massage Therapist signing up for the 7th World Championship in Massage is the awarded Maurizio Perna from Canada. The International Massage Association has asked him to tall about himself:

Hello

I am very pleased to finally be a part of this amazing event. I have been waiting for this moment for a long time.

My name is Maurizio Perna. I completed my Swedish massage course in 2016 followed by other continued education classes such as, chair massage, prenatal massage, hot stone massage, Champi massage and cupping Massage. Finally, I obtained my certification in Oncology Massage (300 hours) from Arborescence Institution in June 2022. Following the completion of my internship at the Quebec Cancer Foundation (QCF), I had the privilege to join their team, providing massage sessions to hospitalized patients as well as outpatients undergoing oncology treatment. I also had the opportunity to be part of the medical team at Maison Saint Raphaël, a palliative care facility offering therapeutic massages and other complementary therapies.

Thanks to my perseverance, passion, and dedication, I had the honor of joining the medical team at the Royal Victoria Hospital (MUHC), with the support of the Cedars Cancer Foundation. There, I am currently assigned to palliative care services, oncology, and the oncology day clinic (ODC). Simultaneously, I am fortunate to collaborate with Leucan Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting children with cancer and their families for over 45 years. With Leucan, I provide services at the Montreal Children’s Hospital in the oncology department, outpatient clinic, and in the homes of families at Sainte-Justine Hospital.

As the owner of Muzio Massage Therapy, a business I founded in 2016, I continue to serve my clients in my clinic. Since the beginning of my career, I have been involved in volunteer activities, offering chair massages at events for nonprofit organizations including Maison Saint Raphael, Leucan, the Superhero Run, the Gay & Grey Foundation, and QCF.

Massage therapy is more than just a job for me; it’s a true passion. I am extremely gratified to have found my calling in this field, a realization I never anticipated. Witnessing the significant impact my therapeutic massage services have on the lives of those battling illness, as well as their families and caregivers, is deeply rewarding. It’s truly remarkable to see how massage therapy can instantly improve their daily lives in various ways.

This experience has allowed me to gain new perspectives, to better understand life and see it in a new light. As an individual, I have evolved immensely. Today, I am able to appreciate elements of life that I previously took for granted, and I have learned to fully embrace the present moment.

Being part of the medical team as a massage therapist fuels my passion and allows me to continue expanding my professional horizons. Each day brings me new relevant information regarding different therapies for various types of cancers, as well as the impact of each treatment on different conditions. With the support of the medical team, these constantly evolving insights help me to improve and adapt my techniques according to the patients’ needs.

There is still a long way to go before massage therapy is fully integrated into the medical environment. That’s why one of my personal goals is to contribute to the advancement of massage therapy towards its full recognition and integration into the medical field. I also aim to ensure that massage therapy care is eventually integrated into patients’ treatment plans.

We have had many enriching discussions about a patient’s current health status and how we could, together, improve their well-being, from both traditional and integrative medical perspectives. If I compare my first day at the Royal Victoria Hospital to today, I can confidently say that the medical team has begun to recognize the importance of massage therapy and how it immediately improves patients’ health, both physically and mentally. They have realized that massage therapy also contributes to enhancing the effectiveness of the treatments they administer. I can say that this change has occurred due to my perseverance, professionalism, dynamism, and passion, but also thanks to others who share these same convictions. I will always strive to demonstrate to the medical team the importance and benefits that massage therapy care brings to the sick. My learning does not stop here; I will continue to learn every day.

A question I am asked almost every day is, “Why specialize in oncology massage?” It all started in August 2017 when my father unexpectedly received his diagnosis. Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), and he was given less than 2 years to live. It was one of the most challenging experiences I have ever been through. When the doctor mentioned the word “cancer,” it felt like my heart dropped. Due to a language barrier, my father turned to me and asked what the doctor had said. I stared into his eyes, with inner sadness, and told him that his liver wasn’t well. I couldn’t utter the word “cancer”! He responded by asking, “Is it cancer?” I reluctantly nodded and said yes. The three of us (my father, my mother, and I) were in shock and denial at the same time. I have 2 brothers, but I then made the decision that I would be there for him through the entire journey: medical appointments, treatments, and daily support. My curiosity for oncology began when my father started his numerous cycles of radiotherapy treatments. I remember seeing many other patients patiently waiting for their turn for treatment, and over time, we became friends with many of them. I saw them at each treatment, but over the days and weeks, I noticed a decline in many of them. They went from being able to walk for their treatments, and eventually on a stretcher until they never came back again. During this time, I wondered, “There must be something I could do to help them with their pain.” That’s when I discovered the oncology massage course, which I had previously been unaware of. Without hesitation, I enrolled in the course. My father was proud of me for taking this initiative as he had always wanted me to work in the hospital. Due to an insufficient number of students and then COVID, the course was postponed three times, but I am not one to give up. My father and I fought his cancer for nearly 3 years until he lost his battle on February 15, 2020, at noon. Just two days before his passing, he was unresponsive, and we could hear his suffering and see his agony. At that moment, I decided that even though I wasn’t trained as an oncology massage therapist, it would still help him with his pain. I remember gently laying my hands on his calves, he slightly moved his legs, and then he suddenly stopped suffering. All we could hear was his breathing. I turned to my mother, tears in my eyes, and said, “Mom, I think I just realized why I was brought to this earth!” I knew at that moment that I absolutely had to finish this course quickly. In October of that year, I started my course and proudly completed it in June 2022.

Today, I am the happiest man on earth because I now help as many people as possible every day. I continue to find new ways to improve my skills, and I always want to make a difference in the lives of those I meet every day.

INTER DEC

•  Massage suédois 400hrs- see attached course outline.
•  Certificat d’excellence Académique

AVALON ACADEMY     

• Massage prénatal 
• Massage sur chaise
• Massage en Fin de Vie (End of life massage) 
• Massage Champi

INSTITU KINE-CONCEPT INC. 

• Massage aux pierre chaude 
• Fascia thérapie Intégrée
• Introduction à la polarité

website: www.muzio.ca

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/muzio.co/

Instagram: muzio_montreal 

I represent: Canada

The International Massage Association look forward watching Maurizio Perna skills among the Best at the World Championship in Massage in wonderful Copenhagen, Denmark.