The Need for Support Doesn’t End After Cancer Treatment

Support for cancer

Cancer is a physical, mental, and emotional roller coaster—and it doesn’t come to a screeching halt once treatment ends. In fact, life after treatment can be one of the most challenging times for individuals diagnosed with cancer. Cancer treatments and therapies can have long-term effects on the body. Often, it takes time, adjustment, and conditioning to adapt and recover after treatment. Survivor Fitness was founded so that no cancer survivor would have to navigate post-treatment recovery alone. 

In light of ALL the challenges that cancer survivors face, it’s important to find support for life after treatment. Relying on your family, friends, co-workers, and community is just as important after treatment as it was during it. Whether you’re a cancer survivor or looking to support a loved one, we wanted to use this article as an opportunity to highlight different types of support that make a difference in the lives of individuals after cancer treatment.  

Emotional Support

Recovering from cancer treatment isn’t just about your body. It’s also about healing your mind. Find practitioners, friends, and family, who can be there for you as you process emotions and plan for the future. Remember you are not alone on this journey. 

Support To Build a Healthy Body Image 

If cancer affected your physical well-being, it’s important to realize you may struggle to accept your new appearance. Try not to underestimate how impactful that might be to your recovery. It’s important to be able to talk through those frustrations with people you love and recognize what may or may not be in your ability to control. 

Support for Navigating the “New Normal” 

There are dozens of changes that you experience during and after cancer treatment. In addition to the physical and emotional changes, there’s also the reality of navigating life after cancer. How do you spend your time now that you don’t have appointments? How might your healing impact your capacity to work and play? These are all challenging questions to answer.

Finding people who understand the impact that cancer has on the “intangible” factors of life can be helpful in finding your place in the various roles and responsibilities you have. 

Nutritional and Physical Support 

Most cancer survivors deal with changes to their diet and exercise routines after treatment. Some want to lose weight that was gained during treatment. Others want to simply be able to walk upstairs again without difficulty. Whatever your health goals might be, it’s helpful to rely on loved ones who recognize the impact that treatment had on your body and can help you take the next steps to regain your strength and stamina. 

Don’t Walk Your Post-Treatment Road Alone

At Survivor Fitness, we like to say that beating cancer is just the beginning of your story. If you’re a cancer survivor located in the Tennessee area, we can walk alongside you to progress your post-treatment recovery, empowering you to take control of your healing journey. You can read stories from other survivors to learn how they managed life after cancer or connect with our team to learn how to get started with our program.

4 Benefits of the Survivor Fitness Program

Whether you are familiar with us, or this is your first time visiting our site, we’re so glad you’re here! Survivor Fitness helps cancer survivors regain their health and wellness through one-on-one with personal fitness and nutrition professionals. Connecting to a healthy lifestyle after cancer is vital for taking control of your life again. We know firsthand that life after cancer is a challenge. That’s why we’re here to help individuals find and create a better and rewarding future for themselves.

Here are four benefits of the Survivor Fitness program.

Why Participate?

Unfortunately, life doesn’t just go back to normal after cancer. Those who have faced cancer often face additional side effects that can last for months or even years, if not addressed. You might be experiencing fatigue, loss of strength, or a change in weight. So, what can you do to help address these issues and get back to feeling like yourself again?

Exercising after a cancer diagnosis can provide numerous benefits. It’s proven to reduce cancer recurrence and offset some of the post-treatment symptoms, like loss of appetite and sleep, increased anxiety and depression, and fatigue. But still, studies show that the majority of cancer survivors aren’t sufficiently active. It’s time to change this!

If you’re new here, you may not know exactly what to expect. We’ve outlined a few benefits below that may help you take the next step to become part of the Survivor Fitness Family.

1. Improving your Physical Health

Exercise is known to improve numerous everyday elements, including:

  • Cardiovascular health
  • Mental health, moods, and self-confidence
  • Weight loss success
  • Muscle and bone health
  • Sleep
  • Immunity

Survivor Fitness meets you where you are, helps you overcome many of the side effects you’re facing, and puts you on a path to meet your personal goals.

Exercise is beneficial for everyone, but it’s especially beneficial for the short and long-term health of cancer survivors. The Survivor Fitness programs help you address not only the physical advantages but also the mental benefits. Many people feel a loss of control when they’re diagnosed with cancer, but these specialized programs will help you regain your control.

2. Accessing Personal Nutrition Advice

People who have been through cancer may have additional risk for health issues, including heart or blood pressure. Alongside exercise, eating the right foods better alleviate internal risks and strengthen your overall health. The Survivor Fitness Registered Dietitians understand these risks and know precisely what you need to incorporate or avoid in your diet.

3. Gaining Guidance & Support

If you don’t know where to start, that’s completely okay. The specialists who partner with Survivor Fitness are skilled, educated, and specialized in working with those who have faced cancer. When you join the program, you are gaining a complete support system. Your trainers understand that your body has been through a lot and that you will need to go at your own pace. They will keep you motivated to help you stay on track at your speed.

Everyone has their own stories, and everyone needs personalized strategies that best work for them. Your Survivor Fitness support system genuinely cares about your well-being, gives you validation, and aims to be the best partner in your wellness journey.

4. Moving Forward

You’ve been through a lot, and it can be easy to find yourself feeling lost or discouraged. We understand that. Our professionals are devoted to building a specific routine and plan, connecting you to the tools and approaches that you need to recover completely. We’re dedicated to improving your health and wellness, furthering your fitness progress, and creatively changing your outlook on life post-treatment.

Wondering How Survivor Fitness Can Benefit Your Lifestyle?

Are you a cancer survivor looking for a new beginning? Are you wondering how to take your first step into the program? Survivor Fitness is ready to help you through this new chapter in your life by empowering you to reclaim your hope, health, and strength entirely.

Survivor Fitness Needs Your Help this Giving Tuesday

It’s officially the giving time of year, and to be honest, it’s one of our favorites. Not only is it a season of kindness and gratitude, but it also gives us even more of an opportunity to share why we are passionate about it, and how others can support our mission. Giving Tuesday is November 30, and Survivor Fitness has an ambitious goal. We want to provide 400 training sessions for cancer survivors, for free. And we need your help.

What Is Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity, sharing influence, resources, money, advocacy, time for nonprofits. It’s a dedicated day that encourages individuals to contribute their efforts to their local communities and or causes and charities that they admire. For Survivor Fitness, this is a day to inspire cancer survivors and help transform their lives.

Why You Should Support Survivor Fitness

Cancer hits close to home for many of us. Survivors can feel scared, alone, and hopeless—we’re here to give them support, encouragement, and confidence. This year, we’ll provide survivors with more than 2,000 training sessions and close to 200 sessions with a registered dietitian. We strive for post-treatment individuals to return to hopeful and empowered lives.

How You Can Help Us Reach Our Goal

In order to reach our 400 training session goal, we need to raise $7,500 and have that money matched.

Below are ways that you can support today or on November 30:

  • Donate towards our goal
  • Share this blog on your social media channels
  • Help us grow the Survivor Fitness community 
  • Email our website to friends or family members who are committed to our cause

The Power of Your Donation

With as little as $35, your donation provides one training session for a cancer survivor. Your support helps us give cancer survivors a new outlook on life, a healthy physical and mental health journey, and assurance that they can reach their goals. Cancer survivors go through immense exhaustion, financial hardships, and terribly low times. These individuals deserve to connect to resources that can help reclaim their wellness. And you can help.

Ready to Support Survivor Fitness on Giving Tuesday?

We are incredibly thankful for the support we receive and the clients we are lucky enough to serve. With your help this Giving Tuesday, you can contribute to helping cancer survivors take control of their lives and experience life in a bright new way. Support us today and positively change the lives of local survivors.

A Graduate’s Guide: How to Stay Involved with Survivor Fitness

Are you a graduate of the Survivor Fitness program? Or, perhaps, have you seen what the program can do to help cancer survivors regain their health? If you said “yes” to either of those questions, we want you to help us spread the word so that we can support as many people as possible. In this article, we’re sharing ways that you can contribute to our mission by spreading the word about how we can improve life after remission for cancer survivors. 

For Survivor Fitness Graduates

Take a moment to remember where you started and where you are now. You are an inspiration, and we’re glad that you want to encourage individuals who are new to their remission chapter. That’s why Survivor Fitness wants to celebrate your stories and share your strength—so that we can continue adding to our incredible community. Here are a few ways that you can share your Survivor Fitness story to inspire others.

Send Us Your Testimonial

We love to share participant spotlights and would be so grateful for you to be an upcoming featured participant! Contact us here to inquire about an interview. We can’t wait to celebrate your success.

Tell Your Doctors About the Program

Have discussions, even brief ones, with your medical team and other medical providers about your experience with Survivor Fitness. They may not be aware of the solutions we offer and could potentially pass the information along to their other cancer survivors.

Become a Brand Ambassador 

What better way to advocate for an organization you believe in than sharing your positive experience? The outlet possibilities are endless, and we’re happy to provide you with resources to distribute. 

For Survivor Fitness Supporters

Whether someone close to you has survived cancer, or you are looking for ways to support the lives of survivors, we’re so happy you’re here. Take a look at this list to learn about options to get involved with Survivor Fitness. 

Never Underestimate the Power of Word of Mouth

Word of Mouth is an incredibly powerful tool that will never go out of style. If you know someone going through remission, share your personal story and see if it’s something they’re interested in pursuing. Odds are, they trust your opinion, and they deserve to experience just how substantial their results can be. 

Share Our Content

Your social media platforms are a powerful tool when sharing information. You never know who might know someone living life after cancer. A simple share could lead to an incredible yet unexpected beginning. 

For Graduates and Supporters

Volunteer with Us

Survivor Fitness has various volunteer opportunities available to help further our mission. Are you thinking about volunteering? Please email us to get started. 

Post on Social Media

Share your testimonials, results, and insight on social media after you have completed or witnessed someone complete the program. (Be sure to tag us in the post, so we can see!)

Leave a Review

Reviews allow potential participants to read firsthand accounts and decide whether this program is right for them. Help us reconnect cancer survivors to their health and wellness by publicly sharing your experiences. Cancer survivors’ worlds are changing for the better, and we want to be by their side to help them accomplish the unexpected.

Whether you have been through the program itself or are a supporter of ours, staying involved after your experience truly helps others who are going through what you once did. Thank you for your bravery, your perseverance, and your support. 

Are You a Cancer Survivor?

Survivor Fitness works with cancer survivors to help them regain their health and wellness through one-on-one personal training and nutritional support. We walk alongside you to progress your post-treatment recovery, empowering you to take control of your healing journey. Connect with us today to learn more!

Taking the First Step at Survivor Fitness

walking-up-steps

Are you a cancer survivor? Or, perhaps, someone close to you is. Survivor Fitness welcomes you to explore our program to learn more about how we help survivors continue to regain their health after treatment. Through personal training, nutritional support, and the accountability of a community, Survivor Fitness empowers survivors to take control of their stories. Want to join us? Here are a few ways to get involved with Survivor Fitness as a participant, volunteer, or donor. 

Apply to Become a Participant

We offer in-person training in Knoxville and Nashville, in addition to virtual training for those outside of these areas. s a cancer survivor, you may be ready to change the course of your health and wellness, but you don’t know where to start. Let us walk with you through this process.

No matter your current fitness level, history, or age, we are here to help. Our trainers and registered dietitians meet you at your point of need to create a custom program that will help you regain your health, hope, and strength. Apply today to get started. 

Want to hear firsthand stories of Survivor Fitness participants? Take a look at our participant spotlights!

Spread the Word About Survivor Fitness

We want to reach as many cancer survivors as possible so that we can help them on their path to better health. The easiest way to reach our audience is through word of mouth! If you have someone in mind who could benefit from this program, please pass our name along to them. Similarly, if you are in contact with doctors who can help spread the word, let them know that we are here to help their patients who are in recovery. It takes just one connection to change someone’s life forever! 

Volunteer with Us

Are you looking for a worthwhile way to spend your free time? Survivor Fitness always has a need for volunteers for various activities that help us further our mission. Our volunteers contribute greatly to our ability to offer our support and services. Ready to get involved? If this is something you might be interested in, please email info@survivorfitness.org for more information. 

Are You a Cancer Survivor?

Survivor Fitness works with cancer survivors to help them regain their health and wellness through one-on-one personal training and nutritional support. We walk alongside you to progress your post-treatment recovery, empowering you to take control of your healing journey. Connect with us today to learn more!

Help Us Grow the Survivor Fitness Community

two-women-talking-over-coffee

Are you a Survivor Fitness participant who has found a community here with us? We are always looking for volunteers who can help us spread the word about our program. The more survivors we can become connected to, the more people we can help and the more lives we can change together. You can be a part of that movement! If you’re ready to get involved, here are a few ways you can help support and grow the Survivor Fitness community.

Post on Social Media

Social media gives us a platform to share, inspire, and connect. You can use your platform to share your Survivor Fitness experience with your network or simply share our posts, stories, and information. You never know who is following along with you. They could know a cancer survivor or be one themselves. Sharing only takes a few seconds and could make a world of difference in someone’s life when they aren’t sure of their next step. 

Share Your Experience with Your Medical Team

Your medical team works with cancer survivors daily who could benefit from the community and resources here at Survivor Fitness. We would love to provide you with informational materials to pass along to your providers and would be more than happy to connect with them to explain the benefits and details of our program. Your medical team could play a significant role in getting the word out!

Serve as a Speaker at Events

No one tells the Survivor Fitness story quite like our participants. You can relay firsthand what this program has meant to you and how it’s helped you in this stage of your life. We can do our best to share as much information as possible, but what other survivors will be drawn to the most are the heartfelt stories about your firsthand experiences as a Survivor Fitness participant. Your story could be the one that inspires someone to reach out to learn more.  

Attend Survivor Fitness Events and Invite Others

Attending Survivor Fitness events helps us to get the word out in several different ways. You can invite your friends and family, share the event to your social media accounts, and share photos of the fun that our community is having together. Events allow us to connect with others, giving us the facetime that we need to share our mission and help as many people as we can. 

Become a Brand Ambassador

By staying in touch with your Survivor Fitness family and sharing your experience, you can help other survivors just like you by volunteering to be a brand ambassador. To become a brand ambassador, you simply spread the word. Through various channels, you can share your Survivor Fitness story with your peers, doctors, support groups, and anyone else who you feel could benefit from hearing about your experience. Decide what feels most natural to you, and begin sharing! Our team will provide you with materials to help you spread the word, and we will be here to support you every step of the way. 

Are You a Cancer Survivor?

Survivor Fitness works with cancer survivors to help them regain their health and wellness through one-on-one personal training and nutritional support. We walk alongside you to progress your post-treatment recovery, empowering you to take control of your healing journey. Connect with us today to learn more!

5 Ways to Stay Motivated on Your Health Journey

Have you found it challenging to keep yourself motivated on your journey to improving your health? You aren’t alone. This is something that many struggle with, but today is the day to kick your motivation into high gear. Are you ready? Let’s talk about five ways that you can keep yourself motivated to eat well and exercise. 

1. Listen to an Upbeat Playlist

You know those songs that you can’t help but get excited about when they come on? Start compiling a list and make yourself a workout playlist. Survivor Fitness has two playlists you may enjoy that our participants helped us assemble. Everyone has different music tastes, so what motivates someone else may not motivate you. Ask your friends with similar music taste what they listen to when they need to stay motivated! 

2. Set Specific and Attainable Goals

Setting specific and attainable goals can help you visualize how you will stay on track during your journey to better health. For example, instead of setting a goal to “workout more,” you might instead consider “do yoga three times per week.” This way, you’ve chosen a goal that you can reasonably complete, and you have an expectation for how you can achieve it. 

3. Reward Yourself

Rewarding yourself for reaching a new objective is a great way to give yourself something to look forward to. Consider thinking of small rewards along the way (e.g., a latte from your favorite coffee shop) and a larger reward (e.g., a weekend trip) for when you achieve a big goal. Choose something that you will look forward to every day until you achieve it! 

4. Get an Accountability Buddy

Consider asking a friend or family member to hold you accountable along the way. When you aren’t feeling motivated, you can reach out to your accountability partner for words of encouragement or even to work out together (if it’s safe to do so). Make this relationship work for the both of you, and decide on a plan for consistent check-ins to discuss your progress. Meeting goals can be more fun when you’re doing it together! 

5. Change it Up

Doing the same workouts or eating the same meals every day can make you feel burned out and bored. Try mixing it up every so often to keep things interesting. Look up a new recipe or find a new type of workout you’d like to try. The sky’s the limit. 

6. Go Easy on Yourself

Your motivation will ebb and flow, and that’s okay! Don’t beat yourself up if you find yourself not moving as quickly as you’d hoped. It doesn’t mean that you’ve failed; it just means that you’re human. As long as you’re trying, that’s what matters.

Do Your Workouts Need Some Extra Fuel? 

Survivor Fitness works with cancer survivors to help them regain their health and wellness through one-on-one personal training and nutritional support. We walk alongside you to progress your post-treatment recovery, empowering you to take control of your healing journey. Connect with us today to learn more!

How to Support Friends Who Have Been Diagnosed with Cancer

Hearing that a friend has been diagnosed with cancer can leave you at a loss for words. Your first reaction may be to send food or flowers, or to call and visit. You may not know what to say or do to let them know you’re there. 

It’s perfectly normal to be unsure of what to do when you know that your friend is in pain. If you’ve found yourself feeling this way, here are a few things you can do to support a friend who has recently received a cancer diagnosis. 

Prepare Yourself Beforehand

This news can be terribly upsetting and overwhelming for loved ones, so it’s important to make sure that you process those feelings before visiting so that you can be there for your friend. You can also spend this time learning about their diagnosis and simply reaching out to let them know you’re there for them before taking any action.

Be Aware of Your Friend’s Conversational Cues

How a person chooses to communicate about their illness is a very personal decision. They may find it therapeutic to talk about their fears, challenges, and frustrations with their cancer diagnosis. However, you might also find that they want to talk about anything but illness. Let your friend know that you are there for them if they ever want to talk, but let them lead the way as they determine for themselves how much or how little they want to discuss it. 

Try your best not to treat them differently than you would have before. Being compassionate and supportive doesn’t mean that you can’t laugh and share fun stories. In the same way, don’t shy away from uncomfortable topics and sad feelings. Let your friend vent and explore those feelings as they need to.

Ask Before Sending Food

People love sending food to comfort their loved ones, but keep in mind that your friend may be following a special diet that is recommended by their doctor. If you do want to make something for them, ask if they have any special requests or if they have foods they would prefer. You might consider other gifts to brighten their day, such as flowers, a homemade craft, or a book you know they’ll love.

Consider the Needs of Caregivers 

When considering what you can do for your friend, also consider how their loved ones and caregivers are feeling. It can be stressful and emotionally straining to take care of someone you love who is in physical and emotional pain. You can acknowledge a caregiver’s feelings by asking them how they’re doing and giving them space to talk about it. You might also consider bringing them something to cheer them up when everything feels a little overwhelming.

Support them After their Diagnosis

A cancer diagnosis can lead to that person’s friends and family offering an overwhelming amount of support at the beginning that will then dwindle over time. Your friend will need consistent compassion throughout the entire process, even during recovery. Cancer can heavily impact a person’s emotional and physical being during every stage of the process—keep being there for them even after the well-wishes have slowed down.

Do You Know a Cancer Survivor? 

Survivor Fitness works with cancer survivors to help them regain their health and wellness through one-on-one personal training and nutritional support. We walk alongside you to progress your post-treatment recovery, empowering you to take control of your healing journey. Connect with us today to learn more!