An exercise and nutrition program tailored for cancer survivors is coming to the south west Sydney region.
The Cancer Council of NSW is behind the Enriching Survivorship initiative.
The free, group-based program of eight, two hour, face to face, weekly sessions helps cancer survivors to improve their lifestyle habits.
It includes nutrition information, involvement in physical activity and practical information and discussion about adjusting to life following cancer treatment.
It also includes a yoga and mindfulness session to enable participants to explore relaxation techniques to help reduce stress and anxiety.
Enriching Survivorship for south west Sydney cancer survivors will get under way in Narellan from Saturday, February 11.
Cancer Council NSW community engagement manager Aruni Ratnayake says that with cancer survival on the increase, lifestyle programs like Enriching Survivorship are an efficient and effective way to support behaviour change which is vital to improving the long term health of those affected by cancer.
“A healthy diet and physical activity have been shown to enhance the physical and psychosocial health of cancer survivors and reduce the risk of cancer and cancer recurrence.
“We understand that previous habits can be hard to change on your own, and with the added fatigue experienced by many cancer survivors, people can easily slip back into their old ways post-treatment,” said Ms Ratnayake.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Getting back to a healthy lifestyle after cancer is one of the most important things you can do for your health.[/social_quote]
“Our new yoga and mindfulness session targets overall health and wellbeing by teaching participants a variety of relaxation and meditation techniques to help reduce their stress and anxiety.
“Every little bit helps and making healthy lifestyle choices can also reduce the risk of cancer recurrence,” she said.
Being a healthy weight can help prevent the recurrence of breast, bowel and prostate cancers.
Physical activity can improve muscle strength, stamina, self-esteem, quality of life, and reduce common side effects of cancer treatment such as fatigue, nausea, pain, anxiety and depression.
One study has suggested that physical activity after diagnosis reduces bowel cancer deaths by up to 30 per cent.
“We encourage all Greater Western Sydney cancer survivors to join the Enriching Survivorship program to help them move towards, and maintain, a healthier lifestyle which will inevitably reduce their risk of cancer recurrence, and improve overall survival,” Ms Ratnayake said.
As with any lifestyle change a support network is extremely important and can help lead to positive long term results.
Cancer survivors are encouraged to bring their carers, partners and family members with them to participate in the program, so they too can learn these new healthy habits and support the survivor throughout their journey.
The program will be held in Narellan each Saturday from February 11 and until April 1, between 10am-12pm.
To register your interest in attending the Enriching Survivorship program, click here for the website or phone 1300 360 541.
