29 Apr 2009
Premier to develop new course on cancer rehabilitation
Everybody knows that regular exercise reduces our risk of developing cancer but what is less well known is that it also improves the chance of a cure after cancer treatments have finished.
In terms of prevention, studies from prestigious centres have shown that regular exercise could prevent 18% of cancer deaths in the UK and for bowel cancer they suggest this could be as high as 40–50%.
After recovery from cancer treatments, a number of studies have shown that regular exercise reduces the risk of relapse by up to 35%, a magnitude of benefit on a par with most chemotherapy regimens! Exercise also has a vast range of other benefits; in particular, it has been shown to increase the degree of empowerment for both the patients and carers, who can also join in with the activity. Exercise reduces the risk of blood clots (DVT and pulmonary embolus), incontinence, creates an overall sense of wellbeing, improves mood, lowers anxiety and risk of depression, and improves social integration and self-esteem.
There is an enormous untapped market for cancer rehabilitation. One in three of the population will develop cancer and there are over 1.8 million cancer survivors at any one time in the UK. This number is increasing as more and more people are being cured through a combination of early detection and better treatments. Most of these individuals are extremely motivated to improve their lifestyle but often need guidance and supervision. Personal trainers are in an ideal position to provide this support.
Over the next year there is going to be strong public service drives from cancer clinics and charities to promote the benefits of exercise after cancer. This will prompt more people to join gyms and exercise classes but, most of all, seek a personal trainer consultation. On top of this self referral, the government funded exercise prescription program, already in place for many chronic illnesses, will now be expanded to include cancer patients. This means there will be a strong increase in demand for qualified personal trainers over the next few years.
For personal trainers to qualify for the exercise prescription program they will require extra cancer rehabilitation training themselves. Any such training would include a basic background to cancer, an explanation of what causes it and the underlying mechanism of how exercise fights it. Trainers would be taught what to ask in their initial consultation and what to look out for during exercise. I am currently working with Premier Training to develop such a training programme. Under this programme students would be supplied with a ‘lifestyle after cancer’ evidence-based manual, templates for screening questionnaires and disclaimers as well as the skills necessary to provide a structured programme of cancer rehabilitation exercise.
Please email us if you would like to register your interest in this forthcoming ‘cancer care’ course,
Email newcourses@premierglobal.co.uk
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Professor Robert Thomas is Consultant Oncologist at the Primrose Oncology Unit, Bedford and Addenbrooke’s Hospitals, Cambridge specialising in the treatment of breast, bowel and prostate cancer. He is also a Professor at Cranfield University and teaches medical students and lectures at Cambridge University.
Ref: "Lifestyle After Cancer" by Professor Robert Thomas www.cancernet.co.uk/books.htm
