- Highlights progress in “exercise is medicine in cancer” movement
- First independently produced film from nonprofit Fund for Sustainable Tomorrows
HALF MOON BAY, Calif. and ASPEN, Colo., Feb. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Moving Through Cancer, the first independently produced patient education film from the 501c3 nonprofit Fund for Sustainable Tomorrows, debuts February 4, 2024, as part of the American College of Sports Medicine’s celebration of World Cancer Day. World Cancer Day is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of cancer and to encouraging its prevention, detection, and treatment.
According to Aspen-based film producer Shari Annes, “Moving Through Cancer highlights a momentum-gaining global campaign to include exercise/activity as a key component of cancer therapy. More specifically, the film addresses the fact that many cancer patients and survivors are not told to be active. With decades of research and over 15,000 clinical studies detailing the positive effects of exercise on wellbeing, physical strength and resilience, it’s inconceivable that individuals who have had a cancer diagnosis are not told simply to move. Importantly, the support of our donors, has made it possible for the Fund for Sustainable Tomorrows to make the 20-minute film available at no charge to any organization or individual engaged in patient education/support or any cancer patient/survivor.”
The film may be viewed at: https://youtu.be/vtA1R87lkv8
Featuring exercise oncology leaders across the United States, the film Moving Through Cancer details the tremendous progress that has been made in stellar programs such as the Maple Tree Cancer Alliance in Dayton Ohio, as well as by the GIFT OF LIFE in Texas, where programs address language barriers in non-English-speaking groups as well as set examples for community support groups worldwide. The film also documents WORKOUT FOR WELLNESS, a brain cancer exercise program at the University of California, San Francisco, as well as The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Active Living After Cancer Survivorship Program. Narrating the film is ice skating legend, Scott Hamilton, the former Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion. Hamilton is a four-time cancer survivor who, at 65 years old, still skates and says, “The bottom line is just get moving.”
Annes says that the film will be posted on the EIM/Moving Through Cancer webpage, as well as a new resources page on ACSM.org, also launched today for World Cancer Day with a collection of ACSM/EIM resources for cancer and exercise. It will be available on the ACSM YouTube channel, a premier health education provider.
Dr. Kathryn Schmitz, founder of ACSM’s Moving Through Cancer Initiative and author of the book by the same name says, “The Moving Through Cancer Initiative of the American College of Sports Medicine has a bold goal of making exercise standard of care in the setting of oncology, in keeping with guidance from multiple major medical associations, including the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Cancer Society, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. This film will boost awareness of the robust evidence that exercise is medicine for people living with and beyond cancer.”
A social media campaign for World Cancer Day will enhance the visibility for the film, and underscore its availability to all cancer patients, education organizations, clinics, hospitals and other appropriate constituencies. A new ACSM-ACS Cancer Exercise Specialist online course will also feature the film, as will the ACSM’s Bulletin newsletter and the ACSM Certified eNews.
In parallel, the Fund for Sustainable Tomorrows will launch a web page dedicated to Moving Through Cancer and to announce its awareness campaign of the “exercise is medicine” movement. That page will provide links to resources as well as showcase several of its other patient education film programs such as Emerging From the Haze in collaboration with Cedars Sinai and the award-winning documentary Phil’s Camino, a collaboration with Annie O’Neil, film director and producer.
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ABOUT AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SPORTS MEDICINE (ACSM)
ACSM is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 50,000 international, national, and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. More details at www.acsm.org.
ABOUT THE MOVING THROUGH CANCER INITIATIVE
The ACSM program “Exercise Is Medicine” has been advocating for exercise in primary care since 2007 (www.exerciseismedicine.org). In 2018, a presidential initiative started the first disease specific initiative within Exercise Is Medicine, called MOVING THROUGH CANCER (https://www.exerciseismedicine.org/eim-in-action/moving-through-cancer/). The Moving Through Cancer initiative has a bold goal of making exercise standard of care in the setting of oncology by 2029.
ABOUT THE MOVING THROUGH CANCER BOOK, FROM CHRONICLE BOOKS
The popular press book entitled Moving Through Cancer, by Dr. Kathryn Schmitz, provides a written exercise guide for people living with and beyond cancer. www.movingthroughcancer.com
ABOUT ACTIVE LIVING AFTER CANCER
Active Living after Cancer is a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)-funded program, founded by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The program aims to improve the quality of life of cancer survivors in Texas by promoting physical activity, and by providing navigation services for survivorship issues. The program is offered in English and Spanish, and has reached thousands of survivors throughout the state of Texas. Learn more at MDAnderson.org/ActiveLiving.
ABOUT GIFT OF LIFE
The Gift of Life’s mission is to help save the lives of underserved Southeast Texas women and men through the provision of free cancer screenings, diagnostics and navigation through treatment, integrated with preventative education and awareness for all. The Gift of Life collaborates with the Active Living After Cancer program at MD Anderson. www.giftoflifebmt.org
ABOUT MAPLE TREE CANCER ALLIANCE
Maple Tree Cancer Alliance is working to improve the quality of life for those walking through cancer treatment through programs and emotional support. The “Maple Tree Cancer Alliance® has clinical partnerships in 55 locations, in 14 countries, to provide individualized exercise programs—both in person and virtually—to help relieve some of the side effects related to cancer treatment. Headquartered in Dayton OH. www.mapletreecanceralliance.org
ABOUT SCOTT HAMILTON
Scott Hamilton is a retired American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist. He won four consecutive U.S. championships, four consecutive World Championships, and a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics. He is the founder and CEO of The Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation dedicated to changing the future of cancer by funding advanced, innovative research that treats the cancer while sparing the patient. Established as a national identity in 2014, CARES stands for Cancer Alliance for Research Education and Survivorship. The foundation seeks to be a neutral convener between organizations, researchers, academic scientists, drug developers, and others to accelerate the advancement of less toxic treatments for isolated cancers and tumors. www.scottcares.org/about/funding-impact
ABOUT WORKOUT FOR WELLNESS (WOW), UCSF BRAIN TUMOR CENTER
The UCSF Neuro-Oncology Workout for Wellness (WoW) Program provides brain tumor patients, survivors and their caregivers with complementary exercise classes, online strength-training programs, and instructional videos to help support their individual wellness goals through physical activity. The UCSF Brain Tumor Center is one of the largest and most comprehensive programs for brain tumor treatment in the United States. We are dedicated to serving every aspect of the patient experience. https://braintumorcenter.ucsf.edu/supportive-care/workout-wellness
ABOUT THE FUND FOR SUSTAINABLE TOMORROWS (FFST)
The Fund for Sustainable Tomorrows is a 501c3 nonprofit that is singularly focused on inspiring social change with impact campaigns that raise awareness of key issues, as highlighted by award-winning documentaries. Working directly with partners in health care, sustainability, education, the environment and social justice, FFST develops alliances to expand the depth and reach as well as a wider distribution of its educational messaging. https://thefundforsustainabletomorrows.org/moving-through-cancer/
For more information:
Shari Annes
Cell: 650 888 0902
[email protected]
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SOURCE The Fund for Sustainable Tomorrows
