Cancer Rehab a reality!

As I write this we have our fifth patient enrolling in our Cancer Rehab program and one in the "wings". With the first one "graduated" we were able to compare pre and post questionnaires and saw improvement in fatigue and distress scores. By utilizing the RAND-36, Piper Fatigue Scale, and the NCCN Distress Management tool for pre and post, we believe we will have some very rich data to review and share. I think this has been a favorite part of the program development toward survivorship for me. As a survivor, and an oncology nurse, I know the impact that cancer can have emotionally and how the experience has the ability to alter the way we see ourselves. No longer are we invincible....no longer do we feel quite so sure about ourselves.

By allowing the cancer patient completing treatment to enroll in a supervised recovery of stretching, cardio, and weight training, patients are able to increase endurance, reduce fatigue, and gain back some of the self-confidence they may have lost during cancer and its treatment.

One patient was fitted with her lymphedema sleeve prior to start of our exercise program and in two months her sleeve has become so loose, she is having to be refitted. She has lost over an inch in circumference measurement in that arm!

Currently we are able to offer this program only to post treatment breast cancer patients because of the funding we received. Over $8000 donated through the Foundation to offset the cost of this program with more contributions expected! We will be sharing our "how-to get started" in cardiac/cancer rehab in the survivorship kit (see November post). Stay Tuned!