Peer Support and Exercise for Cancer Survivors

Exercise significantly reduces the disease- and treatment-related side effects of cancer as well as reducing the risk of disease recurrence. However, despite overwhelming evidence showing the benefits of regular exercise for those who have been diagnosed and/or treated for cancer, survivors of the disease remain significantly less active than the general population. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a time-efficient, highly effective means of rapidly improving health. Further, Cancer Council Queensland (CCQ) run a successful peer support program to improve the psychosocial health of cancer survivors. This study will extend CCQ’s structured peer support program from psychosocial support to exercise, combining it with a HIIT program, to test whether peers can help maintain exercise adherence of cancer survivors for 12-months following an initial supervised exercise intervention.

Funding Body: National Health and Medical Research Council.