Daughter creates a new salt cave business to help mum with breathing illness

A Jarrow-born business woman hopes her new health venture is worth its salt - and her mum already agrees.
Michelle Grogan with her mum Sandra Hughes.Michelle Grogan with her mum Sandra Hughes.
Michelle Grogan with her mum Sandra Hughes.

Michelle Grogan decided to launch Sereniti Salt Retreat in Friars Street, Newcastle, after helping her mum Sandra Hughes look for treatments for her Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

After discovering that salt therapy can help with the respiratory condition, and realised that the nearest treatment centre was in Edinburgh, the 45-year-old decided to create her own salt cave.

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Michelle, an IT manager, said: “What started out as something to help my mam improve the symptoms of her COPD has turned into a new business opportunity for me.

“I’ve always loved working with people as well as systems and hardware and my interest in holistic therapies and technology helped me to make the right decision when I purchased the Halogenerator,

“After that it gets a bit complex, but I basically spent three months applying 1000kg of the salt mixture to the walls, bit by bit, to create the cave, my hands were left so soft.”

Salt therapy, or to give it it’s Greek name Halotherapy works by the client breathing normally in a salt air environment during a 45-minute treatment session where they can relax, read, or listen to music.

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The sessions are carried out in a specially constructed ‘salt cave” with sea salt adorning the floor and the walls.

Mrs Hughes, 67, from Jarrow is already feeling the benefits of her daughter’s research and subsequent treatments.

She said: “One of the main differences I’ve found is the fact that I am now sleeping much longer and better at night. My COPD is not causing me as much concern and my breathing is easier so I’m able to do more with my life than I have for a number of years.”

For more information follow ‘@SerenitiNewcastle’ on Facebook.