Exercising with cancer: from patient to cancer exercise specialist
Sean was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma when he was 28. At the time, he was a self-employed personal trainer and found that his cancer caused paralysing pain. Now, Sean is back on his fitness journey and has joined us as a RENEW trainer. He shares the story of his experience from patient to cancer exercise specialist with us.
Trekstock Ambassador Sean was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma when he was 28. When he was diagnosed, the cancer had spread to his right hip and several of the vertebrae in his spine. At the time, he was a self-employed personal trainer and found that his cancer caused paralysing pain. Since having a stem cell transplant in 2019, Sean is back on his fitness journey and has joined us as a RENEW trainer. He shares the story of his experience from patient to cancer exercise specialist with us.
Fitness was a huge part of my life prior to my diagnosis and I would train everyday, sometimes twice a day. I had also begun competing in powerlifting the year before and was aiming to compete at the national level. In the year before I was diagnosed, I gave up my job in business development at a software company to become a self-employed personal trainer and was really enjoying the way things were going. After my diagnosis - due to various symptoms - my fitness regimen completely changed and I was lucky to get to the gym two or three times per week. I think I could have done more than this but with the metastasis to my spine and the general thinking at time being that cancer patients should rest and not push themselves, I didn't. I didn't know as much about exercising with cancer then.
Since having a stem cell transplant in 2019 I have been back on my fitness journey, exercising as often as my health and schedule permits me. I have started working again in business development but I don't find this as fulfilling as my time working in the fitness industry. I wasn't aware of the role of cancer rehab trainer until mid-way through 2021 but as soon as I became aware of it, I decided to follow this path. I love fitness and keeping in shape. Now we know how beneficial exercise can be for those living with or beyond cancer, I want to share my passion with the community. Recently, experts suggested how beneficial exercising with cancer can be and that cancer patients should be prescribed exercise as part of their treatment and recovery to increase chances of survival.
Exercise is beneficial
That research and lots of other research like it has shown how beneficial exercise can be for those living with and beyond cancer. Some studies have shown that it can reduce fatigue and even reduce the chance of relapse. There are so many people being diagnosed every day whose physical and mental health will be affected by cancer who would benefit from having guidance to exercise safely and effectively. Exercise and fitness has been a big part of my life since my early twenties (I'm now 35) and I'm excited to share this passion with the community and provide support to people dealing with the disease. Most of all though, at this stage of my life, with a life-changing diagnosis behind me, I just want to do something meaningful, that gives me a sense of purpose and a knowledge that I am directly contributing something positive to people.
Trekstock is an amazing charity and I'm so glad I found them when I did. The work they do to support the community of people living with and beyond cancer is excellent and RENEW is an important part of this. Cancer takes so much from us and, I feel personally, even more so from younger people who are planning for the years and decades they have in front of them.
In your 20s and 30s you're thinking about dating, your career, friends, holidays and the future more generally; cancer, it feels, takes that away from you and replaces it with pain, fear and sickness. But, just as exercise can be empowering to 'healthy' people, so too it can be to those living with cancer and RENEW is an excellent foundation for people to get back into exercise safely. The programme can help people to regain or maintain fitness as well as building confidence in your body which may have been lost due to your diagnosis.
Exercising safely is possible
Cancer can have many effects on our bodies and ability to exercise but, generally speaking, there will be a form of exercise that you can do safely. Exercising with cancer or beyond treatment doesn't need to feel scary. If you are unsure of what constitutes safe exercise after your diagnosis, finding a personal trainer or Cancer Rehab trainer with experience of working with those living with or beyond cancer is a great place to start. It's also important to speak to your medical professionals about the effects cancer has had on your body specifically, so you know what - if anything - you should be careful about.
Beyond this, my advice would be the same as to anyone: learn correct form for each exercise you do, get plenty of rest and adequate nutrition and build a connection with your body so you know when to push harder or rest.
If RENEW sounds like the sort of thing you'd like to get involved with, find out more here.
Other resources
Need support with menopause and its side effects because of cancer or treatment? We've got you.
Cancer and its treatments will undoubtedly cause many changes in your life. One change you might not have anticipated at the outset is going through the menopause early. Check out our tips for managing your menopause.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. We wanted to share some resources which might be useful for those living life alongside Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Conversations around cancer aren't always easy. Whether you're talking to your pals, loved ones, partner or even your medical team, knowing how to deal with topics that might feel tricky can go a long way in helping you manage your relationships. Check out our top tips for having those difficult conversations.
Whether you're dating, in a serious relationship, having a bit of fun or committed to be together for the rest of your lives, when your partner's diagnosed with cancer it can bring some big challenges along. Suddenly you've both got a lot to deal with. Working out how to support each other, and yourselves, is key for moving forward.
Lifting the Lid aims to create a safe environment to delve into important topics, while letting our community of people living life alongside cancer know that there are experts on hand who understand their experiences. Check out the full library
.avif)
If you’re the parent of someone in our community with cancer, we know there’s not a lot of information out there to support you. We explore how you might be feeling, how you can help and how to take care of yourself in amongst it all.
When you’re in your 20s or 30s and you’re diagnosed with cancer, lots of things change. One of the things you’ve told us can be most difficult, is navigating friendships in life alongside cancer. We unpick the gnarly topic of friendship and cancer, offering tips and advice for managing your relationships.
Whether you love it or hate it, exercising beyond a cancer diagnosis can be hugely beneficial. We look at the things that might be stopping you from exercising and help unpick how to tackle them
What do you need to know about food and cancer? It's the wild, wild West out there, so we worked with some brill experts and friends to bring you everything you need to know. Our guide is a no-nonsense, evidence based guide designed with you in mind.
Navigating sex and cancer is a minefield. Whether you’re trying to do the deed after diagnosis, you’re living with cancer or you’re in the realms of that elusive new normal we hear so much about, the truth is, the whole thing can be, well...Tricky. Here's our tips on sex and cancer
Parenting is tough enough without adding cancer into the mix. While there's no single formula that can make parenting through cancer easy; there are some practical tools, strategies, resources and services that can help.
Receiving a cancer diagnosis in your 20s or 30s is hard enough. When you are from the LGBTQIA+ community there can be a number of issues you may face. One of these may be your sex life and sexual health. Stewart from LGBTQIA+ cancer support charity OUTpatients and experts share their tips and advice that can help you navigate sex after cancer.
Menopause is a common but not often discussed side effect of breast cancer treatment. Stacey didn't realise how much her menopausal symptoms were impacting her until she joined Trekstock's menopause programme.
.avif)
Lydia's cancer diagnosis when she was 24 meant she had to undergo a complete hysterectomy – having her uterus and cervix removed. As a result, she found herself facing the menopause. Here’s her story on how she’s reached an understanding with her symptoms.
Exercise and cancer don't seem like ideal partners. But the truth is they go together exceptionally well. Exercise has tonnes of benefits for those going through cancer treatment and living with any long term impacts. Exercise physiologist Tom Cowan explains the benefits of exercising with cancer and shares the best ways to make it work for you.
.jpg)
Living life alongside cancer when you’re in your 20s or 30s brings its own unique set of challenges. But we exist to help you make the most of the parallel lives you’re living as both patient and person. Here’s a rundown of everything we offer.
We're able to consume more content and information than ever before. A world of news, dating apps and online shopping is always just a few seconds away. But humans have not evolved to handle this kind of consumption. We're still in the process of figuring out what exactly it does to us. This year's Men's Mental Health Week is focusing on the internet and its impact on male mental health
There are loads of ways to nurture body confidence, even with cancer in the mix. We're here to support you every step of the way, providing resources to enhance both your physical and mental well-being. Together, we can help you embrace self-love and find a sense of comfort in your own skin, even in the face of cancer.
So you’ve just been told you’ve got cancer. And then you’re told your ability to have kids in the future might be impacted too. Because cancer’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Finding out you might be infertile because of your cancer treatment can have a huge emotional impact. Even if kids are the last thing on your mind, making sense of having this decision taken away from you is important. If you’re experiencing fertility issues and it’s impacting your mental health, it’s OK. There are people and organisations out there designed to help.
Just because you've been diagnosed with cancer during your education doesn't mean you should be held back. Here's everything you need to know about living life alongside cancer and education
Tips for opening up about your health at work - from what your rights are to how to talk to your employer and what to do if you decide to stop working.
.webp)
Ambassador Carolina shares what the Trekstock community means to her and how she found support from people who'd been through cancer treatment at a young age.
Because navigating friendships in your 20s or 30s is hard enough without cancer.
No matter who you are, the physical changes that might occur because of cancer or its treatments can be really difficult. Whether you're dealing with nausea, hair loss, early menopause or anything else, learning how to manage these impacts is key to a better quality of life.
Cancer’s an emotional rollercoaster. It’s OK to find it tough to cope.