Webinar: Empowering Adults With or Post-Cancer: Implementing an Exercise Oncology Program
How to utilize foundational fitness programming to improve cancer outcomes.
The presentation will cover how to utilize foundational fitness programming to improve cancer outcomes and empower patients and survivors. As we champion further research into supervised group exercise therapy, emphasizing the vital role of peer support, we'll also delve into recent findings on how exercise affects health outcomes, survival, and cost-effectiveness as an adjuvant treatment. We'll share strategies for improving clinician buy-in and patient exercise adoption rates through long-term behavioral health guidance, building community, and enhancing access to quality exercise for our most vulnerable communities.
Learning Objectives:
1. "Recent research relevant to exercise oncology and what exercise programming should entail." In this first section, we will cover some of the latest research on the physiologic impact of exercise on cancer, patient-centered triage and pre-screening, tracking key metrics, and how exercise oncology is currently being applied in various programs across the U.S.
2. "Establishing a referral network." Here, we will discuss the cost-effectiveness of exercise oncology, promotional initiatives to generate clinician referrals, conducting a needs assessment tailored to each organization, and maintaining communication and relationships with healthcare providers.
3. "Common themes from the cancer community and best practices in exercise oncology." In this final section, we will talk about some of the most common pain points of cancer patients throughout and after treatments, and how exercise oncology programs can incorporate peer support and human connection to
drive higher rates of exercise adherence as well as improved health and fitness outcomes.
Speaker: Aaron Wyant, Program Director & Instructor at the Triumph Cancer Foundation
Aaron Wyant has a BS in Health Fitness Specialist and Kinesiology and an MS in Kinesiology and Exercise Science. He is currently the Program Director & Instructor at the Triumph Cancer Foundation.
Since 2016, Aaron has directly supervised more than 500 and helped oversee the exercise programming for more than 700 cancer patients and survivors. Working in the nonprofit world, he met more than 300 patients in one-on-one consulting environments, learning the detailed health histories of each patient's journey. He has spent over 4,500 hours in-service instructing patients, and developed eight other coaches utilizing the best practices for safely and effectively leading groups through foundational fitness education while incorporating essential components of human connection to improve motivation, self-confidence, and exercise adherence. In this experience, Aaron has seen that the life-changing impact of strengthening and conditioning the body with exercise has been outshone only by the incredible bonding and peer support that comes from working together to get stronger. This work in medical fitness has forever changed Aaron both professionally and personally.