Geraldine Howard, founder of spa brand Aromatherapy Associates and much-loved spa industry leader, revealed a special sensory treat for Global Wellness Summit (GWS) delegates in Mexico City yesterday (14 November).

Howard is battling cancer, so was unable to travel to the event, but instead sent a video interview – conducted by GWS event director, Nancy Davis – along with a specially formulated aromatherapy oil, much to the delight of everyone present.

The oil was shared with each of the events' 400 plus delegates on perfume test strips and filled the conference room with the comforting scent of roses, neroli and citrus, while they watched the video.

Howard is one of the world's preeminent aromatherapists and created the blend personally.

In a heartfelt and personal message, Howard explained how using oils while in hospital had given her great strength and called on the spa industry to work with the medical profession to introduce the use of natural aromatherapy oils to support patients during treatments. She said: “If people can find the right aroma for them, it will make them feel significantly better."

It is typical of Howard to be thinking of how to help others, even while grappling with her own personal challenges.

"Your mind has to stay positive during treatment and aroma is a huge factor in that," she said, "Because it works on the limbic system in our brain. We pay so much attention to our sense of taste and sense of hearing that we often forget our sense of smell.

“My views on wellness and health have changed as I’ve gone through treatment,” she continued, “Particularly over the last 18 months, with a rampant cancer that has spread throughout my body. I now believe more than ever that it's vital medical therapies and natural remedies are used together."

Howard gave insights into her approach to illness, saying, "If I didn’t have faith and believe that what is meant to be will be, and there's a divine world that guides us, I would have found it very difficult to manage.

"Coping is about prayer and contemplation. For some people this comes through a religion, for others it’s through meditation – it’s different for everyone and it’s about finding that inner self and your own beliefs – and really believing the guidance is there.

"It's important to believe in something," she continued, "and it's important to stress that you have to FEEL it and believe it, this is really different from intellectually telling yourself you're going to get through it.

"Everyone has to find a connection that works for them," she said, "Every medic has told me I'm fighting it with positive thinking and belief."

Howard told delegates she walks in the countryside each day and gets strength from it, saying "nature brings me great peace". She said when her illness threatens to overwhelm her, "meditation, breathing, using my oils and lighting my candles really helps bring me back."

Being able to see her and smell one of her wonderful oil blends was a thoughtful and playful treat, typical of Howard and a wonderful and evocative surprise for her many friends and supporters who were missing her at the event. The interview was greeted with a standing ovation for a very precious woman at its conclusion.