Public Health Agency supports LIVESTRONG Day

In today’s society more and more people who are diagnosed with cancer are surviving and many are able to live much longer with a better quality of life than before. However cancer survivors still need treatment and reconditioning to help them move forward. With this in mind, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is supporting LIVESTRONG Day, created by cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, on the 2 October 2010, and has invested in physical activity initiatives which could be linked to cancer prevention, as well as rehabilitation.

Nicky McKee, Physical Activity Referral Officer, PHA said: “One of the most common side effects reported by patients is cancer-related fatigue. This is a persistent sense of tiredness that interferes with usual functioning, and it can affect the quality of the patient’s life physically, mentally and emotionally. This kind of fatigue is often severe and distressing. Patients with cancer-related fatigue often experience a sense of heaviness, particularly in the legs. They may also find they lack interest in things and have problems with their memory and/or concentration. Rest does not lessen this fatigue.”

Different factors can contribute to the causes of cancer-related fatigue, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, anxiety and depression. Research has shown that physical activity can benefit cancer patients in the same way as the general population, including increased energy, strength and flexibility, amongst other benefits. The Government guidelines for the amount of physical activity people should take to gain a health benefit are thirty minutes a day of moderate intensity at least 5 times a week.

With this in mind the PHA is working with the Belfast Cancer Centre to increase awareness of the benefits of physical activity for cancer patients. Two awareness raising sessions looking at physical activity and cancer rehabilitation have been held for fitness instructors who work within the Belfast and South Eastern areas delivering the Healthwise Scheme – a physical activity referral programme.

Jane Rankin, Lead Cancer Physiotherapist at the Cancer Centre who facilitated the awareness raising sessions said: “Through the Healthwise Scheme patients can be referred from their GP/nurse or other health professionals, to registered leisure centres and Healthy Living Centres. My team of physiotherapists have provided leisure centre staff who deliver the Healthwise Scheme, with the opportunity to find out more about the needs of cancer patients and how physical activity can assist them through their treatment and rehabilitation.”

The Healthwise scheme enables patients to benefit from physical activity in a safe environment through a 12-week programme. Trained leisure centre and some Healthy Living Centre’s staff assess the patient’s needs and devise a specifically tailored individual physical activity programme to suit them, as many people living with cancer are unsure of the level of physical activity they can undertake. Patients are seen regularly over this period of time and their health is screened and monitored.

At the awareness raising sessions held in the Belfast Cancer Centre, presentations were given from physiotherapists and consultants working with cancer patients. These sessions looked at what is cancer and how it affects the body, cancer treatments and side affects and what is cancer-related fatigue. The benefits of physical activity were discussed and the leisure centre staff were able to enquire about the specific needs of cancer patients. Additional sessions are planned for the autumn.

Brian Coburn, a cancer survivor who kindly volunteered to share his experience of the benefits of physical activity at one of the sessions, said;

“I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to share my own personal experience of surviving cancer and how physical activity has helped me during and post treatment, not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. I would encourage all cancer patients and survivors to take up physical activity however small.”