Research in Cancer Survivors' Health is Highlighted with Grand Funding

Unfortunately, it is not common to find a Canadian who hasn't been affected by the tragic ramifications of breast cancer. According to the Canadian Brest Cancer Foundation, in this year alone breast cancer is estimated to affect 24,400 women and 210 men, and most often than not, at least one of the 24,400 affected is a mother, friend, sister or daughter.

Although approximately 5,000 women and 60 men will die from the disease in the year 2014, there are several stories of remission and recovery that bring hope to the thousands who are suffering from the type of cancer.

Many of Canada's 150,000 survivors of breast cancer require post-treatment care, one of which involves physical activity, in order to properly recover from the debilitating effects that can result from treatment.

Assistant UBC professor, Cristina Caperchione of UBC's School of Health and Exercise Sciences has received a Lotte and John Hecht Memorial Foundation Innovation Grant from the Canadian Cancer Society for $199,780 to investigate novel approaches to increasing physical activity for survivors of breast cancer.

Photo Credit: UBC Handout

The primary purpose of the three-year research project is to examine what motivates survivors to decrease their health risks via increasing physical activity. The goal is to empower breast cancer survivors.

“I want to provide these strong women with the opportunity to optimize their own strengths and knowledge to improve their post-treatment quality of life,” said Caperchione.

The demand for innovative research in this subject line stems from existing research that has identified generic physical activity programs as not necessarily meeting the needs of survivors.

“The program should reflect the 'real-world' situations that survivors are most likely to find themselves in,” added Caperchione.

Caperchione will develop the study with her first focus on women who are living in the Okanagan.

“Dr. Caperchione's research is vital for reducing the barriers to participation in physical activity for survivors of breast cancer. Doing so will reduce the health care burden and, more important, improve the quality of like in this patient population,” commented Professor Paul Van Donkelaar, Director of the School of Health and Exercise Sciences.