Move More Aberdeen offers a range of free activities to people living with cancer.
A project which supports people with cancer to get active will present its work at an international physiology conference in Brazil.
Move More Aberdeen (MMA) offers a range of free activities to people living with cancer including gentle exercise groups, walking groups, gardening, circuits and wearable fitness trackers.
The partnership project, funded by Macmillan Cancer Support and delivered by Sport Aberdeen, has demonstrated an increase in physical activity levels, fitness, strength and quality of life for participants.
It will present its work at the International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS) 38th World Congress which is being held in Rio de Janeiro this week.
Doing the classes helped me get my confidence and fitness back
Josefine Björkqvist, project coordinator, said: “Whilst there is good evidence demonstrating the benefits of physical activity for people living with cancer, there is still a gap in research around implementation and integration of physical activity into routine cancer care.
“We are excited to be sharing our work with the scientific community.”
Joanna Adamson, Macmillan partnership manager, said the invitation was an amazing accolade for the MMA team.
“It’s a fantastic way to present the work of Macmillan Cancer Support and Sport Aberdeen to the international community,” she added.
The project, which works in partnership with the local health board and other cancer services in the area, recently reached a milestone of 300 referrals.
Ian Rae, 52, was diagnosed with bladder cancer two and a half years ago. However, a routine check-up found the cancer had spread to his muscles, lung and other parts of his body.
He underwent aggressive chemotherapy before having an operation to remove his bladder, prostate and part of his bowel.
“The treatment really took it out of me,” he said.
“It was rough at times. After the operation, it was a struggle to walk.
“Doing the classes helped me get my confidence and fitness back.”
