There’s so much free mainstream exercise content available to access now, that it can sometimes feel unnecessary to contact a specialist after a cancer diagnosis. However, as someone who was a confident and regular fitness fanatic, I felt lost after my diagnosis in 2018. There was very little information out there to help me know what I could and couldn’t do after all the treatment I’d had. I didn’t feel confident or safe doing certain exercises and needed some reassurance that I wasn’t causing more harm than good. Although encouraging, my oncologist was quite vague on the specifics of exercising, and I couldn’t find a local or online specialist at the time. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and retrain to support others like me, raising awareness and educating at the same time.
My learning curve as a Cancer & Exercise Specialist over the last five years has been huge and very worthwhile. Cancer treatments affect people’s movement in many different ways – from muscle loss after chemo, mobility limitations after surgery and/or radiotherapy, ongoing joint pain from hormone therapy or menopause, the list goes on. Even for the most confident of exercisers, it can feel overwhelming. To support you as specialists, we continue to learn about how to adapt exercise and movement to overcome these challenges, keeping up to date with the latest research and ensuring we feel suitably equipped to support you before, during, and after treatment.
When you start training with Get Me Back, I want you to feel confident that the programmes and classes we have created aim to support your needs. When you arrive at a class, there is no need for complex explanations about what you've been through – you know that both the trainer and those in the class, just ‘get it’. We ensure that training is appropriate for both your medical needs and starting level of fitness and work with you and your doctor if required, to ensure that the exercise you do will benefit.
But at the same time, this doesn’t mean you won’t be challenged! Having been diagnosed at age 34, I still wanted to break a sweat when exercising and know that I could continue to progress and achieve goals. I want those training with Get Me Back to not feel that cancer has given you limitations. I want our community to feel that they can be fitter and stronger than before their diagnosis, but it is my job to guide you safely to that point.
Given the huge advantages movement and exercise can have for those going through cancer, I am delighted to see that awareness is building from when I went through my own cancer treatment. If you are unsure of what to do after your diagnosis, please never hesitate to get in touch. We are a growing body of exercise specialists who have received specific training relating to cancer treatment, so please don’t be afraid to reach out if you have any questions – we are here to help.