LIVESTRONG at the YMCA starts January 24 at the Olathe Family YMCA and Providence YMCA/Ball Family Center. Classes are Tuesday and Thursdays from 1-2:30 p.m. To register or for more information about the program, please contact us.
LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is a twelve-week, small group program designed for adult cancer survivors. This program fulfills the important need of supporting the increasing number of cancer survivors who find themselves in the transitional period between completing their cancer treatment and the shift to feeling physically and emotionally strong enough to attempt to return to their normal life or their "new normal". The program is conducted outside of medical facilities to emphasize that LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is about health, not disease.
Our goal is to help participants build muscle mass and muscle strength, increase flexibility and endurance and improve functional ability. Additional goals include reducing the severity of therapy side effects, preventing unwanted weight changes and improving energy levels and self esteem. A final goal of the program is to assist participants in developing their own physical fitness program so they can continue to practice a healthy lifestyle, not only as part of their recovery, but as a way of life. In addition to the physical benefits, the program provides participants a supportive environment and a feeling of community with their fellow survivors, YMCA staff and members.
LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is part of a multi-year collaboration between YMCA of the USA, the national resource office of the Y, and LIVESTRONG. LIVESTRONG is the brand of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, created in 1997 by the cancer survivor and champion cyclist to serve people living with cancer and empower communities to take action. Launched in 2008, LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is designed to improve the health and day-to-day quality of life for the country’s growing population of cancer survivors and their families by bringing customized, research-based health and well-being programs into communities across the country. To date, approximately 5,000 cancer survivors have participated in the program nationwide. (Click here to visit the site of LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, the home of Sporting Kansas City)
“Research shows exercise is the simplest way for cancer survivors to reduce fatigue, improve their mood and bounce back from the debilitating effects of cancer treatment more quickly,” said Andy Miller, LIVESTRONG Executive Vice President. “But there weren’t enough programs to help people affected by cancer reach their health and well-being goals, so LIVESTRONG and YMCA of the USA joined forces to create LIVESTRONG at the YMCA. The Y is the perfect collaborator because of its national reach, commitment to meeting the needs of all community members and history of program innovation in support of health and wellness.”
As part of LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, we engage cancer survivors through an approach that focuses on the whole person. Participants work with trained Y staff to build muscle mass and strength, increase flexibility and endurance, and improve functional ability. In addition to physical benefits, the program is also focused on the emotional well-being of survivors and their families by providing a supportive community environment where people affected by cancer can connect during treatment and beyond.
Click here for more information about the Kansas City Cancer Center, which also offers programs for those affected by cancer.