By Beth Landman
As if it’s not stressful enough to receive a breast cancer diagnosis, getting massage, a common avenue to relieve tension, is often off-limits due to the danger of spreading disease through the lymph nodes. Cathy O’Brien, as chairwoman of Naturopathica, was in a unique position to provide that comfort to patients by sending therapists specifically trained in oncological massage to Mount Sinai to help women undergoing chemotherapy sessions.
“It’s a different way of touching, because you have to watch the flow of the touch, and each individual therapist has to submit a case study in order to be certified. It’s a process,” explains O’Brien. “I was happy to be able to create something that was tangible—you could see an immediate benefit and relief. There is real scientific evidence about how massage helps in healing.”
When she assumed the role of CEO at the holistic beauty company in May 2022, O’Brien started an oncology care program, offering treatments specifically designed for patients. Although she was diagnosed with the disease about a year and a half later, O’Brien saw the upside.
“I got such great care,” she says. “I was sick and nauseous, and I had to figure out work-arounds. Each time I would go back to Sinai for a hydration drip, I would have a massage a couple of days later. The first time I had a massage there, it made me cry, it was so nice. Physical touch during the hospital experience felt really special. I was really grateful to have had that opportunity.”
She was also able to avail herself of the company’s therapeutic creams, known for their rich formulations, fragrant with natural herbs. O’Brien carried around baggies full of Naturopathica’s Marshmallow & Microalgae Sensitivity Soothing Crème, Carrot Seed Soothing Face Oil and Calendula Essential Hydrating Cream to calm her inflamed skin.
“I didn’t care about losing hair; I didn’t even have eyebrows or lashes—I cared about my longevity,” she recalls. “But I did worry about the effects on my skin, because I know that this ages you, and it’s very hard to come back from. I was lucky to have these products. The calendula cream was formulated by Naturopathica’s founder, Barbara Close, for her mother when she developed cancer.”
Now on the other side of her cancer battle, O’Brien has recently been named the company’s chairwoman. “It’s hard to go through chemo and radiation; I was literally pummeled and I needed to sleep and heal,” she says. But she’s not exactly slowing down. O’Brien now has a podcast on women’s health and wellness called Inside the Well Space, and is opening a center in Connecticut called the Well Space for Women, which supports women in toxic relationships. O’Brien has just gotten her master’s in social work, and will help people in an even more personal way, with counseling services. “This experience was a wake-up call,” she says. “It made me realize how much more I still have to do.” naturopathica.com