FEATURE: EXERCISING WITH HODGKIN’S LYMPHOMA Exercise was never spoken about, either as a positive or a negative” Veli said. Towards the end of his first cycle of chemotherapy, Adam began to seriously look into exercise and the benefits it had in treating cancer after being hospitalised during this first phase of treatment. He wasn’t handling the dosage of chemo and began to feel weak, nauseous, and had general struggles with receiving the treatment. This led doctors involved in his care to consider reducing his dosage. of body exercises. This was really funny During this time, Adam a graduate with for me, as I pulled up sore from this. This a Master of Exercise, found solace in was strange because prior to diagnosis, his recorded Master’s lectures. It was I was fit and strong in the gym. I actually in those lectures where he heard was bragging to my mates at points Professor Rob Newton (Edith Cowan saying look at me I’m getting sore University) talk about the numerous from benching the bar .” benefits of exercise in helping cancer patients during their treatment cycles. Adam has not stopped his training and has continued for more than five months Through a prior internship at the now. Since beginning his exercise regime, Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS), Adam Adam has noticed increased physical and made contact with Head of Physical mental energy. Preparation, Dr Harry Brennan. Contact with Harry led him to eventually reach “I strongly believe that through exercise out to Dr Nicolas Hart, an academic you have a better chance of maintaining at Edith Cowan University who has your dosage or even giving yourself the conducted a great deal of research ability to increase through the cycles, be almost negligent for oncologists into the benefits of exercise in cancer providing much more of a chance of and doctors to not at least discuss the patients. being cured of the cancer altogether benefits exercise has to offer for patients and making it easier to fight,” Veli said. who are about to embark on their battle Through email contact with Dr Hart, with cancer. It is that powerful and Adam received a lengthy explanation The periods in which Adam described effective!” Veli described. of the many benefits exercise could have he was feeling mentally low and physically during his chemotherapy treatment. fatigued, could have led him to keep Adam finished up telling his story by “I still read that email regularly to remind himself on the couch or in bed. However, quoting Dr. Prue Cormie, a researcher me of the benefits of exercise.” an open mind and a willingness to from Australian Catholic University. exercise led him to get out and be Dr Hart also mentioned how being active active, despite how he was feeling. “She mentioned in her recent podcast can help circulate the chemo around the that if exercise could be encapsulated in body better which in turn, helps the “There were times I certainly would pill form, every doctor and oncologist chemotherapy be more effective. have preferred to stay on the couch would be prescribing this to their when I really was feeling exhausted and patients, and pharmaceutical companies “If you cannot handle the chemotherapy, overwhelmed. But just getting out for would be launching this wonder drug.’ they either reduce the dosage or a walk led to a boost in physical and It really summed up a powerful message completely stop the treatment mental energies and that rush of to me as to how beneficial exercise is altogether,” Veli explained. endorphins. Exercise in general, whether to cancer patients.” battling cancer or not, I think is crucial Two weeks into his first cycle of to an individual’s health. I know I felt The Australian Cancer Council has a chemotherapy following his release from better after I exercised.” wealth of resources on exercise during hospital, Adam began his exercise regime. cancer treatment. For more information, Because of his own experiences, visit: https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/ Although possessing a wealth of coupled with the compelling evidence cancer-information/exercise-cancer/ knowledge on the matters of conditioning on the benefits of exercise in cancer and strength training, Adam sought patients, Veli is in support of doctors and the recommendations of Dr Hart others on the same journey, to look at who suggested he do three resistance incorporating exercise in treating cancer. ABOUT THE AUTHOR trainings and two aerobic/high-intensity Jorden Merrilees is the Copy Editor interval activities per week. “I truly believe that given the at SMA. He received his degree in overwhelming established and proven Communications from the University “I started with light exercise. My first research on the benefits exercise has of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. session in the gym, I just did three sets to offer for cancer patients, it would VOLUME 36 • ISSUE 2 2018 13 W_tehC/segamiytteg