Regular exercise is key to good heart, bone and mental health. But growing research is also showing how vital it is for cancer patients -- even helping lower the risk of cancer coming back.
One of the country’s first exercise oncology programs began right here in South Florida.
For 25 years, the Memorial Healthcare Cancer Recovery Program has been connecting trained exercise physiologists with patients during and after cancer treatment.
“It’s helped us immensely with mood improvement, it helps us maintain physical fitness, muscle mass, anxiety, nausea, and maintaining their weight,” said Susan Zohar, a breast cancer survivor.
After a grueling month of radiation treatments, the last thing she thought she needed was an exercise program.
“I’m tired, mentally, physically, emotionally beat down from the cancer treatment. But I was very pleasantly surprised, though I couldn’t do everything -- everything was measured for me.”
In fact, Susan says the program is like having her own personal trainer. Exercise physiologists design unique plans for each patient, depending on their needs and abilities.
“I do think that the most important part is the building self-confidence and giving them measurable goals for them to hit, so they can say -- even though I have this or had this, I can get better,” she said. “I can get stronger.”
Stronger is exactly how Susan feels now. She has walked in the Dolphin Challenge to raise money for cancer research and even joined a dragon boat team.
She says she has never felt better. For her, the exercise program was a game changer.
“Cancer changed my life. Most people think cancer changes their life for the negative, but this actually was one of the most positive.”
Also part of the exercise oncology program: nutrition counseling, stress management and yoga classes.
The Memorial Foundation -- the philanthropic arm of Memorial Healthcare -- ensures all patients can participate regardless of their financial situations.
The program gets about 400 referrals every year.
PEMBROKE PARK, Fla.
