About
Cancer Fitness
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EXERCISE ONCOLOGY & CANCER FITNESS
An Introduction to Hope & Possibilities
There is hope and possibilities for a thriving lifestyle even with a cancer diagnosis. While a cancer diagnosis can be challenging for an individual and leave them feeling helpless and overwhelmed, exercise can be the answer to regaining control of one’s life. For years, doctors have recommended exercise to lower cancer risk in patients and support cancer survivors after treatment is completed. Exercise Oncology is a progressive concept that supports those recommendations.
Whether you are someone suffering from cancer, or have survived it, or would like to know more about the discipline of Exercise Oncology, I would like to welcome you to this corner of the Internet.
In addition to my major focus on exercise, I will also emphasize other elements of “fitness” that will promote a balanced lifestyle for cancer patients in active treatment and long-term survivorship.
These other elements will include dietary recommendations, emotional support, and the importance of social and spiritual connections. I hope that my recommendations will support the process of “Emotional Reconstruction®” for cancer patients and survivors.
Story behind
Cancer Fitness
In my family, both my father and his brother were diagnosed with prostate cancer. My father’s sister died from leukemia. My second wife passed away from a rare form of cancer. Besides this, I have had many good friends who have also been diagnosed with cancer, and some of them have sadly passed away. As a cancer surgeon, seeing my dear ones suffer not only during their treatment but also long after, has left me with an indomitable resolve to seek out other methods of adjunctive care. This has led me to research the health benefits of cancer fitness.
The major “turning point” for me over these past 5 years has been my exposure to the extensive amount of scientific evidence found in the world of Exercise Oncology. The science is irrefutable! With the right guidance, you can also help cancer patients enhance their quality of life. They can rise above the anxiety and fear in their cancer journey to enjoy their lives more fully.
Purpose of
Cancer Fitness
Programs
Purpose of Cancer Fitness Programs
The purpose of this space is to give cancer patients the information they need to take advantage of the transformational potential of exercise during their primary treatment regime and their long-term survivorship.
While an adjunct, exercise is essential to all-encompassing cancer care since it improves quality of life, mental and physical health, resilience, and hope.
In promoting cancer fitness programs, the aim is not to train people to participate in competitive athletic events. It is to simply try to get people to move in a way that increases heart rate and strengthens muscle groups.
Cancer fitness programs aim to integrate structured and personalized physical activity into the overall cancer care plan. These programs aim to enhance the well-being of cancer patients by addressing specific physical, emotional, and psychological challenges associated with the disease and its treatments. However, it is important to remember exercise during cancer treatment isn’t one-size-fits-all. It is simply a type of adjunctive care. Nonetheless, exploring the benefits of exercise for cancer patients is important—and that is our mission.
“We want to ensure that the practice of exercise oncology becomes a standard of adjunctive care for cancer patients.”
Kathyrn Schmitz, Ph.D., MPH, FACSM
A past-president of the American College of Sports Medicine
“Custom exercise programs for cancer patients from the time of diagnosis through survivorship can make a huge difference in their later life”
Karen Wonders, Ph.D., FACSM
Founder and CEO of Maple Tree Cancer Alliance
Vision
My vision for this website is to make it the best resource for the enlightenment of patients and doctors regarding exercise oncology and, in the end, establish exercise as a required component of the adjunctive treatment of cancer patients across the globe.
Mission
My mission for this initiative is to pave the way for exercising oncology knowledge and education by providing current evidence-based materials, together with caring advice.
Moreover, my Cancer Fitness initiative is committed to sharing motivational stories of cancer patients who have benefited from exercise and will inspire hope. By supporting the integration of exercise in cancer treatment protocols and contributing to the current research in exercise oncology, you can also collaborate with me in advancing this subject! Let’s join hands in improving the quality of life for cancer patients.
