CALGARY- A new tool is educating the parents of young cancer patients about how to help their children improve their energy and well-being.
The pediatric oncology exercise manual (POEM) provides tips about how to introduce exercise program, tailored to different abilities.
Six-year-old Lydia is already benefiting from the program, despite undergoing seven surgeries and chemotherapy to treat a brain tumour.
“She was very cautious and very afraid, she’d trip she’d fall, she wouldn’t want to try new things,” remembers her mother, Angela Massiah.
The exercise programs include things like learning how to walk, jump and balance, which can boost immune systems, energy and confidence.
“That’s the best reward you can have, try to make them live their life better,” says researcher Carolina Chamorro-Vina
“They see themselves as being healthy again. It’s a tool that they can then use and then engage with their peers,” adds researcher Nicole Culos-Reed.
“That side of it is pretty neat to see.”
The program is groundbreaking in Canada, and the guide should soon be available online.
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