One of the goals of Pearlman Cancer Center (PCC) staff in survivorship program development was to introduce a Cancer Rehab Program. The mission is to create an environment that encourages patients completing cancer therapy to work toward improving their health with a planned and supervised exercise program beginning at or around their first follow-up visit. The Cancer Rehab Team will utilize the existing successful model of the SGMC Cardiac Rehab Program that has been in existence for 25 years and also use their brand new facility on days and during hours that it is not being offered to cardiac patients. The Survivorship Team is partnering with Valdosta State University (VSU) School of Kinesiology and Exercise to provide students for this program but the intake and individualized plan will be created by RNs that have exercise training. To fund this training we wrote a grant and received funding from the Georgia Power Foundation. Funding provides a two-day intensive training program for 15 staff members specific to the dietary and exercise needs of cancer survivors. Grant funds are now being sought to support the first 50 patients enrolled for 3 months each at $40 per month (based upon existing charges for Cardiac Rehab Service). This offers survivors free, twice-a-week exercise sessions that are tailored to meet their specific needs. We plan to use several tools to evaluate patient progress through the 12 week period. Our oncologists have been strongly supportive of this program. Staff training begins in September with first patients being accepted in October. Do any of you have an exercise program in place for survivors?
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