'I hated the idea of going to a gym during cancer recovery'

Members of a cancer rehabilitation exercise group have talked about how it has been helping them as they recovered or underwent treatment.

The group - which has sessions at the Riverside Leisure Centre in Norwich – is backed by the Big C charity and is thought to be the first of its kind in Norfolk.

Steve Stone, 65, said while he wanted exercise, he “hated the idea of going to a gym” before trying the classes.

“It’s encouraged me to look at doing some exercise myself, maybe in a gym environment," the Norwich man said.

He added he liked being with “like-minded people” in a low pressure environment.

The weekly sessions involve an hour of light circuit training, using equipment including rowing machines and treadmills, followed by tea or coffee.

Nell, who goes to the sessions, said she had always been into fitness but had struggled after her cancer treatment.

“Anybody who’s had chemotherapy knows that you lose all your core strength and a lot of us have got nerve damage. I was falling about all over the place and tripping over,” she said.

“I tried the gym in recovery and beat myself up, desperately trying to get fit after chemo – this was perfect,"

“A lot of cancer support groups are wonderful and they work, but they can be very gloomy and I think this works for people who want to get on in a different way.”

Pam Jackson, 70, and from Attleborough, said she was taking the classes after having had breast cancer twice.

“There’s men and women here, all ages, sizes and fitness levels," she said.

“We’re all in different stages of cancer or recovery. We all have a giggle and a laugh, you set your own goals. Each week I try and go a little bit higher."

The classes are run by fitness instructor David Lane who is also a trained cancer rehabilitation practitioner.

He said setting up a group like this was something he had “always wanted to do”.

“It was the Big C who came and approached me to start a group up. We managed to secure some funding and we’ve started a group from here," he said.

The sessions are due to take place until Christmas with hope that more funding can be secured to continue them next year.

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