The Cape Coral Daily Breeze published an article on the Exercise Classes provided by Lymphedema Resources, Inc. and funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Southwest Florida on September 30, 2010.
- Read a PDF of the article: Exercise Programs Offered in the Cape
- Link to the article on the web: http://www.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com/page/content.detail/id/519606.html
Cape Wellness Center to host exercise class for breast cancer survivors
By MEGHAN McCOY, mmccoy@breezenewspapers.com
Registration is currently under way for a free, gentle exercise class for breast cancer survivors, which will be held on Saturdays at the Cape Coral Hospital Wellness Center.
The “Movin’ On – Exercise and Movement for Breast Cancer Survivors” program is presented by Lymphedema Resources Inc., which is based in Estero in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
A non-profit organization, Lymphedema Resources Inc. was formed in 2005 to help raise awareness for the potential of lymphedema development in breast cancer patients. Since then it has received a $111,000 grant from the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Southwest Florida chapter to support its mission.
Lymphedema is caused when there is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid and it develops when lymphatic vessels are damaged or impaired or when lymph nodes are removed. Lymphedema often occurs in breast cancer patients due to under arm lymph node surgery or removal and radiation treatments.
Claire Hauenstein, president of Lymphedema Resources Inc., said the free exercise class is funded through the grant the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Southwest Florida chapter provided.
The class is offered for survivors of all ages and at any stage of treatment of survivorship.
This is the second year the free exercise class is being held in Cape Coral, due to the class being overbooked last year.
The objective of the program is to help breast cancer survivors of all ages regain wellness through education, physical exercise and emotional support.
The six-week class, which provides space for 20 people, will be held Saturday mornings for an hour beginning on Oct. 16. Ellen Poage-Hooper, an advanced registered nurse practitioner and certified lymphedema therapist, is the instructor.
The class will allow women to slowly regain their strength, range of motion and increase their activity levels. The class offers women with the help they need to return to their normal activities, along with an opportunity to share information and an environment of mutual support and fellowship with other women who have gone through the same experiences.
She said lymphedema can happen to many people, so the mission of the organization is to educate survivors about it and provide as many resources as possible.
At the end of the six-week class, women will experience an improved range of motion, along with an increase in energy levels and self.
The class will be held from Oct. 16 through Nov. 20 at the Wellness Center. Another six-week class will also be offered in Naples from Oct. 13 through Nov. 17.
The “Movin’ On” program will be offered six more times during the next six months.
A registration form is required to attend the class and must be turned in before the first day of class.
Sign up by calling Claire Hauenstein at (239) 898-1008 or email her at lymphedemares@aol.com.
The Lymphedema Education Awareness Support Group will meet Saturday, Oct. 9, at 10:30 a.m., at the Regional Cancer Center, which is located at 8931 Colonial Center Drive, Fort Myers. Those interested in learning more about lymphedema are welcome to attend. For information, call Hauenstein at (239) 898-1008.
