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.

What are the benefits?

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 Australian adults (18 years or over) who have been diagnosed with cancer, undergone treatment, or who have experienced a recurrence, secondary or progression, in the last two years.
• Primary carers are also eligible to attend where the person affected by cancer who they are supporting is also attending.
• If you have previously participated in Life Now Exercise or are more than two years since diagnosis or treatment, please complete the appliation form. We will offer you a position prior to course commencement if one is available. We do this to ensure equity and access for participants who need it most.

If you have the following health conditions, you are ineligible to attend Life Now Exercise:

• Any musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, or neurological disorder or any acute illness that could place the participant at risk of injury.
• Presence of Multiple Myeloma
• Severe anaemia (Hb < 80 g/L for men and women)
• 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. A fee applies for the initial assessment. If you have a Chronic Disease Management Plan, you may be eligible for a Medicare rebate.

Course schedule

• Life Now offers ongoing courses throughout the year in a wide range of locations.
• To view our courses and register for your preferred course please review our event calendar
• To receive Life Now Program updates, please subscribe to the Life Now mailing list by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au.

Find support and strength during your cancer experience with Life Now.

Life Now Meditation

Life Now Meditation is an introductory six-week guided course running for an hour each week. Our meditation course is led by a senior meditation facilitator who is highly skilled and experienced, ensuring a safe and supportive environment tailored to your needs.

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.

What are the benefits?

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
• Manage abnormal blood pressure

Eligibility criteria

• Life Now Meditation is offered to Western Australian adults (18 years or over) who have been diagnosed with cancer, undergone treatment, 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 person affected by cancer), and are invited to register.
• If you have previously participated in three or more Life Now Meditation courses or are more than five years since diagnosis or treatment, please complete the appliation form. We will offer you a position prior to course commencement if one is available. We do this to ensure equity and access for participants who need it most.

Course schedule

• Life Now offers ongoing courses throughout the year in a wide range of locations. To view our courses and register for your preferred course please review our event calendar
• To receive Life Now Program updates, please subscribe to our Life Now mailing list by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au.

Find support and strength during your cancer experience with Life Now.

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 course is led by a senior art therapy teacher.

The Mindful Art program provides a basic understanding of mindfulness concepts, delivered through simple art courses. 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 Western Australian adults (18 years or over) who have been diagnosed with cancer, undergone treatment, 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 person affected by cancer), and are invited to register.
• If you have previously participated in Mindful Art or are more than five years since diagnosis or treatment, please complete the appliation form. We will offer you a position prior to course commencement if one is available. We do this to ensure equity and access for participants who need it most.

Course schedule

• Life Now offers ongoing courses throughout the year in a wide range of locations. To view our courses and register for your preferred course please review our event calendar
• To receive Life Now Program updates, please subscribe to the Life Now mailing list by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au.

Find support and strength during your cancer experience with Life Now.

Life Now Mindfulness

Life Now Mindfulness is an eight-week course running for two hours each week. Each course is facilitated by a senior mindfulness instructor.

Mindfulness practices encourage individuals to experience the present moment in a non-judgemental way. You will be taught practical coping techniques to counter the effects of cancer-related stress. There is no need for any prior skills or experience to participate and benefit from the course.

Please note that this course requires a commitment to participation in a small group setting and home practice between classes.

What are the benefits?

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

• Reduce stress, anxiety and depression
• Improve quality of life
• Improve sleep and mood
• Manage pain

“It really helped to clear my mind of depressing and negative thoughts. To realise these thoughts can go as quickly as they come!” –Life Now Mindfulness Participant

Eligibility criteria

• Life Now Mindfulness is offered to Western Australian adults (18 years or over) who have been diagnosed with cancer, undergone treatment, 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 person affected by cancer), and are invited to apply.
• If you have previously participated in Life Now Exercise or are more than two years since diagnosis or treatment, please complete the appliation form. We will offer you a position prior to course commencement if one is available. We do this to ensure equity and access for participants who need it most.

Course schedule

• Life Now offers ongoing courses throughout the year in a wide range of locations. To view our courses and register for your preferred course please review our event calendar.
• To receive Life Now Program updates, please subscribe to the Life Now mailing list by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au.

Find support and strength during your cancer experience with Life Now.

Life Now Tai Chi

Life Now Tai Chi is a gentle introductory six-week course running for an hour each week. Each class is delivered by a senior tai chi instructor.

Tai Chi is a moving meditation which involves gentle movements, deep breathing techniques and meditation. There is no need for any prior skills or experience to participate and benefit from the course. You will be guided through each class and your teacher will adapt movements to suit your needs.

“Thank you so much for your Tai Chi course. I had always wanted to be instructed in this and found it wonderful. I felt like I was flying when I had finished.” – Life Now Tai Chi Participant

What are the benefits?

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

• Improve quality of life
• Increase flexibility and balance
• Increase muscle strength
• Reduce anxiety, depression and stress.

Eligibility criteria

• Life Now Tai Chi is offered to Western Australian adults (18 years or over) who have been diagnosed with cancer, undergone treatment, 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 person affected by cancer), and are invited to register.

• If you have previously participated in three or more Life Now Tai Chi courses, or are more than five years since diagnosis, please complete the appliation form. We will offer you a position prior to course commencement if one is available. We do this to ensure equity and access for participants who need it most.

Course schedule

• Life Now offers ongoing courses throughout the year in a wide range of locations. To view our courses and register for your preferred course please review our event calendar
• To receive Life Now Program updates, please subscribe to the Life Now mailing list by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au.

Find support and strength during your cancer experience with Life Now.

Life Now Yoga

Life Now Yoga is a gentle, restorative, introductory six-week course running for an hour each week. Each class is delivered by a senior yoga teacher.

Yoga is a whole-body philosophy which involves gentle stretching, breathing exercises, postures and meditation. There is no need for any prior skills or experience to participate and benefit from the course. You will be guided through each class and your teacher will adapt the yoga poses to suit your needs.

“The Life Now 6-week Yoga course was simply amazing. I have learnt so much as a first timer to Yoga about techniques to support both my body and mind.” – Life Now Yoga Participant

What are the benefits?

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

• Reduce stress, anxiety & depression
• Reduce the effects of fatigue and pain
• Improve quality of life
• Improve sleep and mood
• Increase flexibility and balance
• Increase muscle strength

Eligibility criteria

• Life Now Yoga is offered to Western Australian adults (18 years or over) who have been diagnosed with cancer, undergone treatment, 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 person affected by cancer), and are invited to register.

• If you have previously participated in three or more Life Now Yoga courses, or are more than five years since diagnosis, please complete the appliation form. We will offer you a position prior to course commencement if one is available. We do this to ensure equity and access for participants who need it most.

Course schedule

• Life Now offers ongoing courses throughout the year in a wide range of locations. To view our courses and register for your preferred course please review our event calendar
• To receive Life Now Program updates, please subscribe to the Life Now mailing list by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au.

Find support and strength during your cancer experience with Life Now.

I’m a health professional, how can I help?

Health professionals play an important role in building knowledge of exercise and meditative programs as an adjunct therapy that helps counteract the adverse effects of cancer and its treatment.

The Life Now team encourages all health professionals involved in the care of people with cancer to:

1. Discuss the role and impact of exercise and meditative practices during and after treatment.
2. Recommend Life Now courses to anyone who is eligible and might benefit from the practice.

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. The below resources can support your practice at home or between Life Now courses. Make sure to always consult a health professional prior to practicing.

• Download Exercise for People Living with Cancer booklet
• Use the LiveLighter Workout Builder to support your home practice
• Try this 20-minute yoga flow for beginners
• Try this seated workout, it only takes 3-minutes
• Introduce 5 x movements for 5 x minutes 5 x a week
• Watch 22 different exercises that you can try at home (produced by Cancer Council NSW)

References

Carlson L. E., e. a. (2023). Integrative Oncology Care of Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Adults With Cancer: Society for Integrative Oncology – ASCO Guideline. ASCO Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Cormie, P., Atkinson, M., Bucci, L., Cust, A., Eakin, E., Hayes, S., McCarthy, A. L., Murnane, A., Patchell, S., & Adams, D. (2018). Clinical Oncology Society of Australia position statement on exercise in cancer care. Medical Journal of Australia, 209(4), 184–187.

Links to the research:

1, Portella, C. F. (2021). Meditation: Evidence Map of Systematic Reviews. Frontiers in Public Health.

2, Carlson L. E., e. a. (2023). Integrative Oncology Care of Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Adults With Cancer: Society for Integrative Oncology – ASCO Guideline . ASCO Journal of Clinical Oncology.

3, Yang, L. W.-S. (2021). Tai Chi for cancer survivors: A systematic review toward consensus-based guidelines. Cancer Medicine, 7447-7456.

4, Niu, N. H. (2024). Health benefits of yoga for cancer survivors: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Asia_Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing, 1-14.

5,Campbell, K. L.-A. (2020, April). Exercise Recommendation for People With Bone Metastases: Expert Consensus for Health Care Providers and Exercise Professionals. JCO Oncology Practice. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Clinical Oncology Society of Australia.