Rating:

5.0 (1 vote)

MISSOULA- A free exercise program minimizes side effects of cancer treatment and helps patients and survivors stay fit.

"This program really allow a perfect opportunity for people to learn how to safely return to a fitness program in a supportive group and also stay healthy while they're fighting cancer," Physical Therapist and Fit to Fight Co-Founder Sam Schmidt explained.

The Fit to Fight program welcomes cancer patients who want to exercise once a doctor releases them to do so. The specially designed exercises in the 8-week long program help terminal patients, those going through treatment and cancer survivors.

"In the group setting, we do pretty basic exercises just because the fitness levels are so varied. So we do lots of stretching, some core work, some balance, breathing, relaxation," Fit to Fight Exercise Physiologist Sarah Rott said.

"This program puts the spark back in ya," says Bob Albee, Lymphoma survivor. "This program here is to get back all that strength that you've lost, because you laid around for 6, 7 months just getting infused with chemo."

"It's really helped me get back into shape. I've been trying to work out for about year and then I had breast cancer and everything got put on hold. So it's an opportunity to come back in the gym and start getting stronger again," says Ami Davis, breast cancer survivor.

Schmidt says research shows the right amount of exercise can help many people counter some side effects of cancer treatment.

"It improves appetite, it can improve sleep patterns, reduce nausea, reduce fatigue," Schmidt said.

"It's really hard for a lot of people to exercise at a low level where we want them, because they don't realize how much that really is working their body. They're not going to have the response that healthier people will have with exercise sometimes, because of what their body's gone through," Rott said.

Alpine Physical Therapists donate their time to help patients in the Fit to Fight program, while the Peak donates the facility.

Contact Irina Cates