The London School of Beauty and Make-up has partnered with organic skincare brand Made for Life Organics and its charity, the Made for Life Foundation, to launch a new training course enabling qualified therapists to offer treatments to cancer patients.

Cancer Touch Therapy by Made for Life is a fully accredited three-day course that is designed to give level 3 therapists a deeper understanding of cancer, including what it is, the grading and staging and how its treatments affect the skin. On completion of the course therapists will be able to offer beauty treatments to clients currently living with or in receipt of medical treatments for cancer, as well as those in remission.

Led by Marc Innes, founder of the School of Natural Therapies, the course utilises advice taken from qualified oncology massage trainers, advisors within the oncology teams from the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust and Macmillan, and is accredited by the Complementary Medical Association, meaning that therapists offering these treatments can be insured for them.

"We are committed to ensuring that young people training in the spa industry are given the knowledge and understanding to confidently welcome those with cancer to any spa they work in throughout their career," said Amanda Winwood, MD of Made for Life Organics.

"We are delighted to be partnering with The London School of Beauty and Make Up as we really have the opportunity to change the face of the industry for the better.

"We believe that all salons should be accessible and through our work with the Made for Life Foundation we have, for 15 years, consistently provided this using appropriate protocols combined with our 100 per cent organic skincare and wellbeing products."

Jo Harris, general manager of The London School of Beauty and Make-up, added: "The industry has changed dramatically over recent years, however education has not caught up with the needs of our employers or clients.

"The aim of our partnership with the Made for Life Foundation is to make this much needed skin accessible not just to our students but current therapists, and to ensure that we are leading the way in education by supporting and inspiring the next generation."

The training course costs £450 (US$600, €510) per person, with all proceeds going to the Made for Life Foundation, which supports cancer patients and their carers.