I'm super excited to bring personal one-on-one consultations to our cancer patients. I will meet you where you are, whether in the infusion chair or elsewhere at the Cancer Center, whether you are just beginning treatment or finishing care. You don’t have to go to another building or schedule an additional appointment—I’ll come to you.
I'll also meet you where you are in terms of your level of function and personal objectives. As a cancer patient, you may be beaten down with surgery, chemo, and radiation. Together, we’ll look at your strength, abilities and goals of what you want to get back to in life. Whether it is to safely get in and out of a bathtub or to avoid lymphedema while running, your personal exercise program will get you back in charge of this part of your life.
We have many programs to meet your individual needs. For example, if anxiety or pain is a barrier to your recovery, you might want to try biofeedback or yoga. If you have psychological distress due to physical symptoms you may benefit from a consultation with a physical therapist or our acupuncturist. For fatigue, an Exercise for Energy class may help.
I’m particularly happy to meet people when they’re done with treatment. There may be a huge void in your life as you move from the Cancer Center family to feeling you’re on your own. Survivorship activities and programs can help you get to your new normal and I will develop a plan specific to your needs. Exercise may help to reduce possible risk of recurrence or other cancers—who wouldn’t want to get a consultation on how to best avoid recurrence?
Since illness and its treatment can make it difficult for patients to maintain physical activity, Michelle Larson, MPT, CLT-LANA, CET-ACSM, and her team of therapists are at the ready to educate patients about how to keep their bodies strong.