Research shows that exercise can make a significant difference to a person’s health and well-being during and after cancer treatment. Movement can improve side effects such as fatigue, help patients build bone density and strength, and prevent cancer from coming back.
Thanks to the support of donors like you, patients at Chris O'Brien Lifehouse can experience the benefits of exercise throughout supportive care and integrative oncology service, the LivingRoom. In our patient gym, Senior Exercise Physiologist, Dr Shelley Kay, leads exercise programs that help keep patients stay as fit and strong as possible before, during and after their treatment.
The LivingRoom currently hosts group gym classes, one-on-one sessions, a Men’s Shed group, and yoga classes for strength and relaxation. All classes are adjusted to different needs and abilities, and take place in a supportive, safe and positive environment.
One of our patients, Ruth, shared how exercise in the LivingRoom have been vital to her recovery. When Ruth began using the LivingRoom last year, she was experiencing debilitating peripheral neuropathy in her hands and feet, a side effect of her chemotherapy treatment.
Peripheral neuropathy happens because of damage to nerves in the fingers and toes, which can cause symptoms like numbness or 'pins and needles', weakness, pain, or a reduced ability to feel hot and cold.
Ruth says that acupuncture and exercise physiology have been incredibly beneficial for her recovery, both physically and emotionally.
“The LivingRoom is a quiet, gentle place where people are calm, attuned, and skilled,” says Ruth. "I feel safe doing exercise which has helped my strength and mood. It’s giving me back confidence in my body and physical capabilities to construct a life post-cancer. Hope is such a wonderful thing to rediscover because other people help you hold it.”
It's only because of your support that the LivingRoom can continue offering these incredible programs to patients. Thank you so much for partnering with us to improve the wellbeing of people with cancer.
