The money raised through the Personal Everest Project will be used to fund the two elements of our new support programme – a tailored fitness programme for cancer patients and a complementary therapy service.
The Importance of Fitness for Cancer Patients
Recent research from the Danish Cancer Society has shown that cancer patients who engage in moderate exercise whilst under-going treatment suffer less from the debilitating effects of fatigue. Cancer-related fatigue affects up to 84% of patients – five times as many that reported hair loss and nearly four times the number of patients who reported nausea. Fatigue was the most commonly reported symptom and has the greatest impact on quality of life - affecting both cancer patients and their families physically, mentally, emotionally and economically. (Research by the All-Ireland Fatigue Coalition)
Those patients in Denmark who took part in the fitness programme had an enhanced quality of life, experienced a feeling of well-being and felt that they had achieved something. Not only did they feel fitter but they gained support from their peers through shared experiences.
We want to develop a tailored fitness programme that cancer patients will be able to follow both during and after treatment.
Complementary Therapy Service
We want to establish a new full-time complementary therapy post to build on the success of the Clarin’s Beauty for Life sessions, extending the remit to include reflexology and aromatherapy.
Complementary therapies have been shown to help cancer patients relax and to help enhance their feelings of self-confidence. After diagnosis, many cancer patients experience a feeling of loss of control and self-value, as well as a sense of isolation. Treatments for cancer are often difficult to cope with and although some are less severe, all treatments take a physical toll on the body.
Complementary therapies can help during this very difficult period by giving the patient some “time out”. It can help restore confidence, improve their sense of well-being and ultimately, help them move on from their cancer.
We recognise that the nature of support most beneficial to cancer patients is as individual as they are, and our new support programme will build on the existing range of services that we provide which are already much in demand – support groups, counselling, peer support, creative writing, art therapy, reminiscence therapy and the family support service.
