MARCH 14, 2007

UPEI Blood Donar campaign well under way

Craig St. Jean Reporter

In 2003 when organized blood donating was re-established at UPEI, a one week campaign was held. It was deemed suc- cessful with 78 donors. Since then, UPEI has proven itself to be an important contributor to Canadian Blood Services and our commitment is growing.

In September 2006 UPEI kicked off it’s 2nd Annual UPEI Blood Donor Challenge— students versus faculty and staff. The challenge is to see who can log in the most donations— Faculty and staff or students. Family and friends may also donate and register their names with the side of choice. In the first “chal- lenge” in 2005, the student donors beat the faculty and staff by a slim margin. The total donation goal was 250 units and the end result was over 270.

For this yeat’s challenge, the goal is 300 donated units. So far, the faculty and staff have 129 donated units and the Students have 88, amounting in total to 217 units. The donation coordina- tor Alan Veale has said that this is “an outstanding showing by all concerned. With two and a half months left in this challenge, we can top our 300 unit goal.”

If students want to donate blood, appointments can be made by calling Canadian Blood Services at 1 888 2 DO- NATE (1 888 236 6283) . The Canadian Blood Services Charlottetown Centre will even provide transportation from and back to the UPEI campus for orga- nized groups. Veale encourages students to donate, saying “we need to increase our donor base and we need a new generation of donors stepping forward to take on the responsibility of ensur- ing Canada has a reliable blood supply.

UPEI students are that new generation.”

HEALTH

www.business.humber.ca

THE CADRE ¢ 7

Paralegal Studies

in the right seat.

Want a degree that works for you?

Humber offers the only Paralegal Studies degree program in Canada, combining a comprehensive understanding of legal principles with specific law-related skills for an education that’s valued by major paralegal firms, law firms and federal and provincial governments. Think of yourself as a court agent, provincial offences prosecutor, immigration counsel or legal researcher

(to name a few potential positions) and youre

Call 416-675-6622, ext. 3336 or email bernard.aron@humber.ca, for further information. Apply for all Business School programs at www.ontariocolleges.ca

(fp HUMBER

The Business School

Unique massage now available in PEL.

Stacey Murray Advertising Manager

_ Jaime Constable is making a name for

herself in the massage scene on P.E.I. She specializes in a rare form of massage called lomi and she is the only person offering the service on the Island.

She first learned the technique in Ot- tawa in 2002 from Alani Kuzma who was one of only four or five who knew the technique in the capital.

Now Constable’s a student at UPEI and she is working on expanding her enterprise here.

The lomi originated in Hawaii and is passed down through generations. It can take on many forms and uses heated oils in a full-body massage.

Instead of focusing on one part of the body at a time, the lomi uses sweeping motions across the body.

At times, it feels like water rushing by your body or being cradled in the arms of a mother.

It’s also different from more conven- tional massages because forearms are used throughout the session.

It’s also more physically demanding

than conventional massages as the mas- seuse picks up the body to perform part of the massage underneath the table. On a spiritual level, the lomi is meant to weave the energy of the body and cre- ate a connection between both parties. It is also meant to help people deal with personal issues on a physical level. “The pain we suffer can become trapped in our tissue,” Constable said. Some people aren’t receptive to tradi- tional means of letting go, but lomi may be the key for these people, she said. “With some people, you can’t get through to them through emotions, but you can get them through this.”

The lomi is opened with a Hawaiian

' prayer and the infinity dance, which con-

nects the masseuse to the subject.

The dance is slow, yet focused. Calcu- lated movement and breathing patterns set the tone of the room.

The dance is what first led Constable to the lomi. She first saw the dance while in New York a few years ago and was instantly drawn to it.

The infinity dance can be performed

alone or in a group and is about moving

in harmony with the elements and each other.

This spring, Constable will teach others about the dance in a series of classes put on by Enchanted Isle Mystics in March and April.

Constable said the connection between the dance and the massage makes it a more intimate experience. She found other massage forms too impersonal.

“Tt was like I could hear her going over her grocery list.”

In Hawaii, the lomi is meant as a rite of passage and is performed on a subject until their troubles have left them.

This can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, with multiple people massaging a subject if necessary.

She performs the Lomi Ke Ala Hoku, one of several forms of the massage. Translated in English, it means pathway to the stars.

Massages cost $60 an hour, but she does offer discounts to students, being one herself.

More information can be found at

ca, go to community and click on classes.