Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences

The safety, feasibility and effectiveness of the YMCA Cancer Survivors’ Program

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The study will investigate the YMCA Cancer Survivors’ Program, a free 12-week exercise program for anyone who has currently or had a cancer diagnosis.

All participants in the study will complete a 12-week of waiting phase, which involves completing your normal activities. Then all participants will receive a 12-week exercise intervention by a trained YMCA facilitator at a designated YMCA Fitness Centre (current locations: Bowen Hills, Jamboree Heights, Victoria Point). The program will consist of a warm-up, aerobic and resistance exercises. All exercise sessions will consist of 2 x 1-hour session per week for 12-weeks in a group-based training session. Cognitive and exercise induced changes will be evaluated through assessments completed before and after completing the waiting phase and the exercise sessions.

Benefits:

The study results will provide the YMCA staff with key information on the effectiveness of the current YMCA Cancer Survivors’ Program. These results will be able to be used by the YMCA to enable further development of the program and/or enhance program recruitment through referrals from health practitioners as part of their treatment or survivorship health-care plan.

Additionally, there are potential benefits, however these cannot be guaranteed. Greater physical activity involvement has been shown to be strongly associated with greater quality of life and function in people with cancer. You will be provided, free of charge, with gold standard measure of bone mineral density and valid and reliable measures of cognitive performance, body composition, muscular strength, flexibility, balance and physical function.

Eligibility:

  • Histologically confirmed diagnosis of cancer
  • Over 18 years old
  • Gained medical advice from their doctor
  • Completed a medical history form
  • Ability to read English to a grade-10 standard level.

Register your interest:

Contact Eliza Keating via email or phone 0488 922 442.

eliza.keating@uqconnect.edu.au

This study has been approved by The University of Queensland Human Research Ethics Committee [Approval No. 2019000634]