University of Canberra cancer wellness clinic supporting cancer sufferers through exercise

"I'd never been in a gym before, I'm a yoga practitioner more than a gym person so I was a bit intimidated about the thought of a gym," she said.

But following a bowel cancer diagnosis Ms Garden found herself lifting weights for the first time in her life at the University of Canberra's cancer wellness centre.

The University of Canberra's cancer wellness centre is a clinic offering exercise physiology, nutrition and dietetics, and counselling for cancer sufferers before, during and after cancer treatment.

Lead clinical supervisor in exercise physiology Melanie Moore said the clinic supported cancer sufferers through tailored exercise rehabilitation programs.

She said the program focused on helping people mitigate side effects from cancer treatments alongside supporting people with various goals they may have following their treatment.

"We use exercise, evidence-based practice to actually get them back to doing those things," Ms Moore said.

Research has shown regular exercise during and after cancer treatments can offer huge benefits, however, programs like those at the University of Canberra are rarely prescribed to cancer patients.

"The research is saying there is a really good synergistic value of integrating exercise throughout the continuum of care and it can go from physical function, which is improving their cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength, their balance and coordination but also improving their quality of life and reducing the symptoms that they experienced from treatment," Ms Moore said.

"So it could be fatigue, cancer related fatigue is quite common. People also experience cognitive impairments when going through treatments, such as brain fog or chemo brain and we know that exercise can help with reducing that as well."

The Clinical Oncology Society of Australia has called on health professionals involved in the care of people with cancer to discuss the role of exercise in cancer recovery and refer patients to a professional who can prescribe exercise.

In a position statement, the society said exercise should be "embedded as part of standard practice in cancer care and to be viewed as an adjunct therapy that helps counteract the adverse effects of cancer and its treatment".

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Ms Garden only came across the program at the University of Canberra because she had a friend who worked at the campus.

"I'd really like to see this type of research and the types of programs offered here absorbed into the more mainstream medical [facilities] like the big hospitals," she said.

"It would be really good to actually have somebody talking to you at the beginning of your treatment over at the radiation place or within the oncology department and actually saying it would be really beneficial for you."

Ms Garden was recently cleared of cancer following extensive chemotherapy and radiation. But she said the clinic had proved to be one of the greatest supports through her treatment.

"What is going on is going to produce ongoing improvements for people who are dealing with cancer treatment," she said.

"Although there has been a big improvement in the mortality rate for cancer, you still get scared when someone tells you 'you've got cancer'.

"I'm 70, I've had a pretty good life. My kids are up and about and doing OK but I'd like to stick around for a bit longer and this program offers some kid of sense there's a support for that."

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