Exercise and meditative courses

Life Now Exercise

Life Now Exercise is a 12-week course, which includes two one-hour classes each week. Each class is facilitated by an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and tailor-made for people affected by cancer. Participants receive an individualised program and experience the benefits in a safe and supportive group environment.

Research has found that exercise is an effective medicine for people with cancer. People with cancer who exercise regularly have fewer and milder side effects from their treatments.

Eligibility criteria

• Life Now Exercise is offered to Western Australians who have been diagnosed with cancer in the last two years, are currently undergoing cancer treatment or who have completed cancer treatment in the last two years.
• Primary Carers are eligible to register when the patient they support is also enrolled.
• We prioritise new participants, giving everyone the opportunity to participate in our Life Now Exercise course.

Exercise Program contraindications include the following health conditions:

• Presence of an acute illness, in addition to the initial cancer diagnosis
• Any musculoskeletal, cardiovascular or neurological disorder that could place the participant at risk of severe injury or illness resulting from the exercise (excluding conditions/disorders that require exercise as part of their treatment)
• Presence of bone metastases*
• Presence of myeloma bone disease
• Severe anaemia.
• Neutropenia

Following registration, each participant must gain medical clearance and complete an initial assessment with their assigned accredited exercise physiologist, who will develop their individually tailored exercise program (fee applies).

* People with bone metastases may now apply for the Life Now Exercise Joondalup course. Participants will be required to provide the exercise physiologist with a radiological scan which identifies the location of the bone metastases i.e. CT/PET/Bone scan. Email us for more information.

Timetable

The current Life Now Exercise timetable is below.  You can register for your preferred course here.

BENTLEY Exercise: Mondays & Wednesdays, 11:00am-12:00pm, 29 July – 21 October

BUNBURY Exercise: Mondays & Wednesdays, 12:30pm – 1:30pm, 29 July – 16 October

COMO Exercise: Mondays & Wednesdays, 11:00am-12:00pm, 29 July – 21 October

FLOREAT Exercise: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 12:00pm – 1:00pm, 30 July – 17 October

JOONDALUP Exercise: Mondays & Fridays, 1:30pm-2:30pm, 19 August – 11 November

JOONDALUP Exercise (bone metastases) : Mondays & Fridays, 1:30pm-2:30pm, 19 August – 11 November

MANDURAH Exercise: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 2:00pm – 3:00pm, 30 July – 17 Oct

MIDLAND Exercise: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 2:00pm – 3:00pm, 30 July – 17 Oct

Interested in participating in a course?

Registrations are essential. Please complete the Life Now course registration form.

For Life Now Program queries, email the team at  lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au.

Life Now Meditation

Life Now Meditation is an introductory six-week guided course running for an hour each week. Each class is led by a senior meditation teacher.

Guided meditation involves learning and practicing different meditation techniques. There is no need for any prior skills or experience to participate and benefit from the course. You will be provided with a range of simple techniques to help you relax and calm your mind.

Meditation has shown to have great benefits for people affected by cancer. It can assist to: Reduce stress and anxiety; improve quality of life; improve sleep and mood; manage chronic pain and manage abnormal blood pressure.

Timetable

The current Life Now Meditation timetable is below.  You can register for your preferred course here.

HILLARYS Meditation: Wednesdays, 2:00pm – 3:00pm, 31 July – 4 September

MANDURAH Meditation: Mondays, 1:00pm – 2:00pm, 29 July – 2 September

NARROGIN  Meditation: Wednesdays, 1:00pm- 2:00pm, 31 July – 4 September

ONLINE  Meditation: Wednesdays, 10:00am-11:00am (1hr), 31 July – 4 September

SHENTON PARK Meditation: Wednesdays, 10:00am – 11:00am (1hr), 31 July – 4 September

Interested in participating in a course?

Registrations are essential. Please complete the Life Now course registration form.

For Life Now Program queries, email the team at  lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au.

Life Now Mindful Art

Life Now Mindful Art is an introductory six-week guided course running for an hour-and-a-half each week. Each class is led by a senior art therapy teacher.

The Mindful Art program provides a basic understanding of mindfulness concepts, delivered through simple art classes. By focusing on the creative process rather than the final product, participants are encouraged to be more present and increase their self-awareness.

What are the benefits?

Mindful Art has shown to have great benefits for people affected by cancer. It can assist to:

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Increase social functioning
• Improve quality of life

Eligibility criteria

• Life Now Mindful Art is offered to West Australian adults (18yrs or over) who have been diagnosed with cancer, or who have experienced a recurrence, secondary or progression, in the last five years
• Primary carers are also eligible to attend (by themselves, or in support of a cancer patient), and are invited to register.
• As this is a beginner’s course, no prior experience is required to participate and all materials are provided.
• If you have previously participated in Life Now Mindful Art, please apply for a waitlist position.

Timetable

The current Life Now Mindful Art timetable is below.

FALCON Mindful Art: Fridays, 10:00am- 11:30am (1.5hr), 2 August- 6 September

OCEAN REEF Mindful Art: Tuesdays, 10:00am – 11:30pm (1.5hr), 30 July – 3 September

Interested in participating in this course?

Registrations are essential. Please complete the Life Now course registration form.

For Life Now Program queries, email the team at  lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au.

Life Now Mindfulness

Four Mindfulness courses were held in Term 2, 2024. The next term of Life Now Exercise is planned to commence in Term 4, 2024.

To receive Life Now Program updates, please subscribe to the Life Now mailing list by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au.

Life Now Tai Chi

Four Tai Chi courses were held in Term 2, 2024. The next term of Life Now Exercise is planned to commence in Term 4, 2024.

To receive Life Now Program updates, please subscribe to the Life Now mailing list by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au.

Life Now Yoga

Seven Yoga courses were held in Term 2, 2024. The next term of Life Now Exercise is planned to commence in Term 4, 2024.

To receive Life Now Program updates, please subscribe to the Life Now mailing list by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au.

What’s the difference between mindfulness and meditation?

Meditation helps you relax, channel a calmer outlook, and results are more instantaneous when practiced often.

Mindfulness is more intense and hands-on. Mindfulness skills learnt during classes change how you process your thoughts, how you mentally react to certain situations, and can support long term changes to your thought processes.

How can exercise help to reduce the side-effects of cancer treatment?

Regular exercise during or after treatment can help to:

• Improve wellbeing and quality of life
• Reduce fatigue
• Improve sleeping patterns
• Improve strength and fitness
• Improve physical function
• Manage pain
• Manage nausea
• Maintain and build muscle mass
• Prevent weight gain
• Preserve metabolism
• Maintain bone health
• Reduce depression and anxiety

Do you have any resources to help me continue to practice exercise and meditative techniques at home?

Yes we do, please see related resources section below:

• Download Exercise for People Living with Cancer booklet
• Watch 22 different exercises that you can try at home (produced by Cancer Council NSW)