Moray sports lecturer keeps up support for cancer patients through lockdown virtual exercise sessions

A MORAY sports lecturer has been able to keep up vital support for local people with cancer through lockdowns by offering free exercise sessions online.

Prior to the pandemic Kelly McLaren (41), a deputy head of curriculum at Moray College UHI, voluntarily ran well-attended weekly cancer rehabilitation sessions. The sports lecturer of 20 years has been leading the sessions at the college and Moray Sports Centre since 2017.

As well as providing physical and emotional support, Kelly's CanRehab sessions offered a chance of a blether for local cancer sufferers. Regulars could find encouragement, positivity and new friends.

Determined to find a way to continue supporting people as the pandemic halted usual face-to-face streams of support, the cancer rehab specialist switched to running sessions over Zoom on Wednesday nights to a group of around 12 Moray residents.

She is hoping to reach out to more people who could benefit from the free help.

Kelly said: "People have found the sessions enjoyable and it has benefited them immensely, both physically and mentally.

"I would really like to reach out to those individuals who don’t have access to social media platforms but would really benefit from these sessions and for people to know that there is support out there."

She added: "The sessions can help both physically and emotionally. We can improve functionality. For example, people with breast cancer may struggle to reach cupboards and the like. The sessions help to sustain mobility.

"Other benefits include improvements in fatigue levels, which is one of the main things individuals report. People can really struggle with this during cancer treatment.

"Clients going through treatment have also found they're responding to treatments better.

"And just having that peer support is invaluable – to be able to chat to others during this time when they can't go to the usual CLAN groups.

"It's a bit of light-hearted exercise with a cuppa at the end."

The exercise can help individuals to stay mobile and independent. Other benefits include less side-effects such as neuropathy, lymphedema, osteoporosis and nausea; a reduction in depression and anxiety; improved balance; prevention of muscle loss; improved strength; improved mood and stress levels; and a reduction in the risk of cancer returning.

Anyone interested in taking part will firstly have an appointment to assess at which level exercise should be pitched as the sessions are tailored to match ability.

Kelly holds a Level 4 cancer rehabilitation exercise specialist qualification.

Anyone who would like more information on the classes can email Kelly at moraycanrehab@outlook.com.

Meanwhile, since March last year, Kelly has been an instructor on a UK-wide clinical trial, SafeFit, which was set up to provide physical, emotional and nutritional remote support to cancer patients during lockdown.

SafeFit is open to all individuals, at any stage of their cancer journey. For more information visit http://www.wesfit.org.uk/safefit.html.