Cancer Exercise Blog
When I was diagnosed with cancer, I wanted to find someone like me
Someone I could relate to, who’d been through a similar cancer and exercise journey. I was (relatively) young, sporty, a mum - and suddenly I had cancer. Everything I read seemed to be for people much older or more sedentary than me. So this blog aims to be what I needed to read. I hope you enjoy it. I hope you find it useful. I hope it gives you hope!
Osteoporosis. Cancer, exercise, lifting weights - and bone density
Cancer, exercise, lifting weights - what is the best exercise to improve bone density for cancer patients?
The power of group exercise and community for cancer patients
A weekend away, exercising in nature with other cancer patients. The power of exercise, community and nature all rolled into one.
Scars and body image after cancer treatment
Learning to love my scars after breast cancer surgery. I chose aesthetic flat closure, known as AFC
Exercise and cancer related foot pain and tendonitis
Cancer treatment and hormone therapy caused crippling foot pain. Gentle exercise and patience have cured it!
Cancer Rebel. This was me 3 years ago. My hair grew back WHITE!
By the last few taxol chemo infusions, my body was tired. My white blood cells tanked. So I jumped on my bike and rebelled :)
Exercise can cure the most common cancer side effect, affecting up to 90% of patients.
What is the most common side effect of cancer treatment? Fatigue.
Cancer Victim. Warrior. Fighter. Cancer-y words that don’t sit right.
Getting diagnosed with cancer means learning a whole new vocabulary. What words do you like or not like?
Finding balance in my life after cancer. It takes practice …
Finding balance in my life after cancer! It takes practice.
How much exercise is the RIGHT amount of exercise for cancer patients?
How much is the right amount of exercise for cancer patients? Only 5% of people meet the minimum guidelines
Who am I after cancer? It’s taking me a long time to figure it out.
My life is clearly divided into pre cancer and post cancer. I look back on photos from my ‘past’ life and it’s hard to believe that was even me.
Cancer friends. Why they’re so important to me.
What do you see in this photo?
Two girls riding bikes?
For me, this photo is significantly more.
Progress! How to be patient, when it doesn’t come naturally.
We live in a quick fix, instant gratification world. It’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting it NOW. And then being disappointed when it doesn’t happen fast enough.
WHY is exercise so important for cancer survivors?
Medical thinking has changed significantly around exercise for cancer patients. Advice used to be ‘REST’. Now it’s ‘MOVE’. But WHY is exercise so important for cancer patients?
Stress and Cancer. Why it stresses me out.
Today, my therapist told me I need to connect with my parasympathetic nervous system more. I live my life at a million miles an hour. I used to be proud of that. Relaxing does not come naturally.
Why walking is one of the best forms of exercise for cancer patients.
It’s so highly underrated as a form of exercise and it’s one of my favourite activities. It’s easy, accessible, free and can be done anywhere, whatever your fitness level.
2 years ago, I was in the middle of chemo. Who am I now?
It’s hard to believe that this time two years ago, I had just lost all my hair and was in the thick of hard core chemo.
Osteoporosis. Why is it important? And what can we do about it?
Osteoporosis! It plays on my mind. I already have osteoporosis in my spine. My hip is at the severe end of osteopenia (the precursor to osteoporosis). I feel vulnerable …
So what IS my secret to staying healthy after breast cancer?
A few weeks ago, I had a check up with my oncologist. He looked through my blood work and said with a smile, ‘wow, what’s your secret?’
Hope! It IS possible to overcome the side effects of hormone therapy.
After my breast cancer treatment finished, I started hormone therapy. For the next 10 years.Initially, nothing much happened. A few hot flushes. To be expected. Bit of insomnia. Standard. I breathed a huge sigh of relief and thought I’d got away with it.
Scanxiety. The fear of recurrence never goes away completely.
Like all cancer patients, even though I have finished active treatment (other than hormone therapy), I still have regular check ups, blood tests and scans.