Cancer Care

Yoga for People Living with Cancer

With Jude

I know how much better yoga makes me feel on all levels - mind, body and  spirit.  Yoga has helped me through illness and injury and has  helped to keep me calm and balanced through times of crisis and stress.  I have seen how yoga can benefit people living with cancer, working first hand with people going through treatment. Because of this, I am committed to offering yoga and  relaxation for people living with cancer.

Yoga is not a cure for cancer but it can help you balance body, mind and spirit to help you feel and function better. Yoga  will help you to calm your  mind so that you  can cope better with your diagnosis and treatment.  It  can also help to alleviate symptoms and side effects such as tiredness, pain, nausea,  sleep problems and depression. Post-treatment, yoga can be a gentle way to help you stay physically active, to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle, to help keep you calm and centred and help you reconnect with your body, and celebrate life.   Techniques include breathing and breath awareness, relaxation, visualisation, meditation and asana (postures) all of which can be adapted to your specific needs, ability and energy levels. Yoga can be adapted and is gentle enough for anyone, of any age and at any stage of cancer treatment.

Read my article on Yoga for people living with cancer published in Namaskaram December 2009.

I am now  delighted to be offering a training course for yoga teachers and Therapists.  Healing Space – adapting yoga for people living with cancer will commence in September 2011.

My experience

Since January 2009, I have been  privileged to offer Yoga, Relaxation and Complementary Therapies at  Friends of the Beatson,  a dedicated centre offering complementary therapies, beauty therapy, hairdressing and other services to in-patients at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow. The patients I see are receiving active treatment for many types of cancer  and are receiving a range of treatments including  chemotherapy, radiotherapy, bone marrow and stem cell transplants, hormone and targetted therapies as well as various scans, tests and invasive procedures.  I have a good understanding of these treatments and their side effects and I receive regular training keeping me  up to date with current knowledge.

I was previously Breast Cancer Care’s Health & Wellbeing Manager, where I was involved in giving health & lifestyle advice, information and practical support to people diagnosed with breast cancer. This included advice on exercise, diet, stress management etc. The role involved regular clinical updates and afforded me an in-depth understanding of  breast cancer and the issues surrounding diagnosis and treatment. During this time I  received specialist training in cancer rehabilitation exercise with Dr. Anna Campbell, leading cancer rehabilitation specialist and director of Canrehab, an exercise based cancer rehabilitation consultancy.

In addition I  have had some twenty years experience as a teacher, trainer and group-work facilitator in the public and voluntary sectors and in private industry.