World Cancer Day: We Can. I Can.
World Cancer Day (WCD), a global event that unites the world’s population in the fight against cancer on the 4th February every year, provides a perfect opportunity to recognise the work of Notts County FC Football in the Community’s life changing CARE Programme.
CARE (Cancer and Rehabilitation Exercise) is a physical activity programme for people living with cancer across Nottinghamshire.
The programme is run in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support and is designed for patients at any stage of their treatment or recovery with sessions involving fun, graduated strengthening exercises and a chance to meet and socialise with others who have been through similar experiences.
Kathryn Houghton, a participant of the programme living with breast cancer (triple positive, grade 3) with previous thyroid and skin cancer, joined the scheme in June 2016 having just been through surgery.
At the time of joining the programme, Kathryn was very anxious as she had been through radiotherapy and chemotherapy and had a number of further treatments planned, including surgery. She felt lonely after spending many months ill at home.
After regularly participating in an exercise routine designed by the CARE programme, both her physical and psychological health has been positively impacted.
She said: ”I had to retire and sell my business, so together with changes to my body I felt I had lost my identity and purpose. My body felt unfit and old before its time. I needed something to focus on and goals to set myself with.
”Mentally, living with cancer treatment is extremely hard and I am still up and down emotionally but I can’t sing praises high enough for what the programme has done for me. The sessions release endorphins which help with my pain and neuropathy and I have seen a huge change in what I can achieve.
”Exercise is now an integral part of my life and I can do more than I ever thought I could do. Psychologically I imagine at the end of this long tunnel all my surgery over, being able to cope with the drugs and loading a healthy lifestyle with so many different sports to try out.”
CARE sessions take place at Portland Centre with women’s sessions running on Monday and Saturday 10:00am-11:30am and men’s sessions Tuesday 5:30pm-7pm.
Emma Trent, Health Manager at Notts County FC Football in the Community said: ”The benefit that participants receive from taking part in CARE are life changing.
”Members always leave the programme with a new lease of life and a renewed interest in fitness. We’re dedicated to making sure each individual is successful in reaching their personal goals.”
For more information about Notts County FC Football in the Community and CARE visit – www. nottscountyfitc.org.uk
