Showing how exercise can give people with cancer more life to live
Yorkshire Cancer Research is Yorkshire’s independent cancer charity and is at the heart of worldwide cancer research and innovation as it rolls out a pioneering exercise and wellbeing programme for people with cancer across the region. Our vision is that one day everyone with a cancer diagnosis in Yorkshire and beyond can benefit from these services.
Yorkshire Cancer Research exists to ensure people in Yorkshire live longer, healthier lives, free from cancer. The charity is the leading funder of cancer research study places in Yorkshire and its research and services focus on improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However, its impact can be felt far beyond the Yorkshire borders - for example, the Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial, one of the largest lung screening trials in the world, provided critical data to inform the UK National Screening Committee’s recent recommendation to rollout lung screening nationally.
One area of focus lies with the impact of exercise. Increasing evidence shows that exercise before, during and after cancer treatment can bring huge benefits: reducing side effects and complications, enabling access to a wider variety of treatment options, helping people to recover more quickly and reducing length of hospital stays.
Current data reveals the risk of death from cancer could be reduced by up to 44% and the risk of cancer recurrence could be reduced by up to 66%. However, it is clear that too few people know this.
In a recent YouGov online survey conducted by the charity of over 500 adults living with or beyond cancer, 74% said their healthcare team did not discuss exercise with them following their diagnosis. Accordingly, 94% did not take part in a specialised cancer exercise programme. In a related YouGov online survey of over 2000 members of the general public, 66% were not aware that exercise after a cancer diagnosis can have a positive effect on treatment, survival and recurrence.
Yorkshire Cancer Research is at the forefront of this work in the UK. Our Sheffield service offers personalised fitness, nutrition and wellbeing support for people with cancer, as well as a much-valued support network: 86% of people referred by their healthcare team take part. The service will be expanded to Harrogate this Autumn, with five more Yorkshire locations following within the next 18 months. Together, these projects will form the biggest global study into exercise and cancer.
The data gathered by these services, alongside the research trials embedded within them, will significantly grow the evidence base, further demonstrating tailored exercise interventions should be embedded as part of standard NHS cancer pathways.
The large roll out of this new service will also showcase how it can be scaled up across England. Yorkshire is an ideal case study to demonstrate the value and possibilities of such an initiative, given its population size, geography and demographics.
In Yorkshire, the rates of people who are diagnosed with and die from cancer are greater than in most other parts of England. This pioneering programme will make a significant difference to those diagnosed with this life-changing disease, saving lives and improving wellbeing. We welcome all who wish to visit and see this innovation in action.
www.yorkshirecancerresearch.org.uk|@yorkshirecancer|policy@ycr.org.uk
PoliticsHome Newsletters
Get the inside track on what MPs and Peers are talking about. Sign up to The House's morning email for the latest insight and reaction from Parliamentarians, policy-makers and organisations.
