Special Programs

Cancer, Dignity and Wisdom
Expressive Arts Therapy
Free Exercise Program for Cancer Survivors
Strength in Motion
Wall of Hope

Cancer, Dignity and Wisdom
Open to men and women in all stages of cancer. The program offers powerful, effective tools for managing your cancer.

2013 Schedule
Wednesdays 6:30-9:00 pm
March 27 (intro session)
April 10, 17, 24
May 1, 8, 15, 22

For more information about the program and registration, please view brochure (pdf) or contact Roberta Colasanti, LICSW, at 617-292-4436.

Expressive Arts Therapy
The Vernon Cancer Center is excited to announce a collaboration with Lesley University’s Expressive Arts Therapy program!

Expressive Arts Therapy has been shown to help patients and families foster an image of health and/or recovery, develop self expression, increase body awareness and cultivate social support. The goal of this collaboration is to help our cancer patients cope with their illness by reducing anxiety, fear and confusion, and support them into survivorship.

We envision our intern providing a variety of modalities to include art, music, body movement and writing in the form of group classes, one-on-one sessions and use of a mobile cart in the chemotherapy infusion unit and the inpatient oncology unit. For information, contact the Cancer Center at 617-219-1230.
Directions

Free Exercise Program for Cancer Survivors
Healthy-Steps – The Lebed Method®

When: Wednesdays, 6:15pm – 7:15pm
(Starting Wednesday, November 21)
Where: Shipley Fitness Center at Newton Wellesley
Directions
Facilitator: Sarah Cailler, CET and Certified Instructor
Cost: Free (8 week sessions)
Registration: Required. Please call the Shipley Fitness Center at 617-243-6644 to pre-register and reserve a spot. Class size is limited.

This is a gentle therapeutic movement and exercise program designed to help you thrive! The Healthy-Steps program improves overall wellness, reduces pain, reduces depression, improves range-of-motion, balance, strength and endurance, increases energy, and stabilizes weight, as well as improves emotional well-being and self-image. It can be done standing, sitting or in a wheelchair. Feel better and have fun!

Healthy-Steps benefits those with:

• Breast Cancer or other forms of Cancer
• Arthritis
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Frozen Shoulder
• Lymphedema
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Parkinson Disease
• Other chronic or debilitating illnesses

Strength in Motion
Cancer Rehabilitation Program at the Vernon Cancer Center 

The following professionally guided exercise classes are free of charge and appropriate
for all fitness and energy levels. Come learn how to make exercise and fun and effective!

Exercise Screenings
Screening appointments are available on Tuesdays from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. These informal screenings by a physical therapist provide an overall fitness assessment and recommendations for future exercise plans. The physical therapist can also refer patients for physical or occupational therapy for specific concerns.

Rehabilitation Exercise Class
Fridays, 11:00 am – noon
Department of Rehabilitation Services
Small class size, rolling admission for 10-week sessions. This exercise class, led by a physical therapist, offers gentle aerobic exercise, strength training and stretching.

Shipley Fitness Center Class 
Personal training sessions with an exercise physiologist at the Shipley Fitness Center. Sessions with the trainer can be scheduled at the patient's convenience and include aerobic exercise, strength training and stretching.

Wall of Hope
The Vernon Cancer Center is planning to develop a Wall of Hope that will display messages of hope to all of our patients. If you or your family have photos that you would like to share as part of your story on our wall, please send them to us!

Once we gather enough stories, we will start to build what we hope will be a continuously growing collage of hope to display in the Cancer Center for all of our patients.

Please contact Carmith Shai at 617-219-1230 for more information.