Since 2017, from statistics across Ontario, it was noticed that the number of active Therapeutic Touch practitioners was decreasing.  In response to this, a 6 person task group was formed, called the Therapeutic Touch Awareness Week (TTAW) Task Group.  The goal of this group is to raise awareness of Therapeutic Touch in our community.  Through planning and education they support TT teachers and branch group leaders in planning and hosting educational and outreach events in their local communities.  They work diligently for 6 months every year. Deborah Gould facilitates the TTAW Task Group and also the Fergus Magnolia TT Branch, Ontario.

In march this year, the TTAW Task Group prepared and hosted a webinar in preparation for TT Awareness Week.  The webinar was called Just One – You Can Make a Difference. The very first slide of the powerpoint and the theme for this year is 2026 – Celebrating 10 years – Going World Wide.

In Canada, TT Awareness Week coincides with National Nurses Week, Mental Health Week and National Hospice and Palliative Care Week.  Many of the TT outreach activities are held in hospitals, hospices, long-term care facilities, libraries, churches, schools and health centres.

Since 2017 the outreach activities across Ontario, have had 4515 attendees (3224 members of the public & 1184 practitioners) at their TT Awareness events. This has meant, on average, the attendance of 500 people per year attending outreach events.  This is, in no doubt, as a result of an average of 44 outreach events per year.  This is a very inspiring outcome. 

One of the Therapeutic Touch Fergus Magnolia Branch Awareness outreach activities, occurs in a small hospital at Guelph General Hospital in Guelph, Ontario.  The Guelph Hospital is a 225 bed local hospital where we have been offering TT in the oncology unit while people are receiving their chemotherapy.  This has been an ongoing program for over 20 years. 

At this hospital, during TT Awareness Week there is an outreach event offering mini TT sessions to anyone at the hospital.  On the day, of this event, the recipients can be hospital staff, patients, family and friends.  How special!

The Fergus Magnolia group often receives requests for distance TT.  Recently Deborah (Deb) Gould saw a post two days running on social media for Jenny Cameron’s Distance Group Healing session.  Yes, our Therapeutic Touch Association of Australasia’s Facebook group page reached all the way to Ontario!

Deb thought, why not reach out to Jenny on social media and see if she was interested in a reciprocal event for TT Awareness week.  Deb’s idea was for her local group to send distance TT to Jenny’s group and for Jenny to send distance TT to the group in Fergus, Ontario.

Jenny responded straight away, excited and delighted with this opportunity. 

On May 6 at 7.30pm, Jenny will send distance TT to anyone in Australia who wishes to receive it, as well as to the members of the Fergus Magnolia branch in Ontario.  On May 13, the Fergus TT members will send TT to Jenny and anyone who would like to receive distance TT in Australia.

The original theme of going worldwide is already happening.  How wonderful to have an opportunity to interact with other Therapeutic Touch practitioners in another part of the world!  May the increased interaction continue.

Thank you to Deborah Gould and Jenny Cameron for information for this article, Kathy Daniel.