This is a post by Julie Goodale. We were elated when Julie contacted us with her story. She is an incredibly brave woman who has truly taken control of a negative, and turned it into a positive. If The Demoiselles is about one thing, it would be that very concept. Please visit Julie’s amazing blog, Fitness For Survivors.

Here we are at the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  You’ve been seeing Public Service Announcements about getting mammograms, pitches for money to support research, and the ubiquitous pink ribbon on any number of products.  I, however, have been spending a lot of time at the gym, or running, or hiking.  Why? Because, when it comes to breast cancer, exercise matters.

For women who have not had breast cancer, solid scientific evidence shows that exercising is associated with a reduced risk of developing breast cancer. Some studies have shown as much as a 30-40% reduction in risk. Younger women should note that this protective effect may be greatest for premenopausal women.

Of course, we all know exceptions to any statistics; I’m a perfect example.  I was young, very healthy, ate well, exercised, with no history of cancer in my family.  And I got breast cancer in my 30s.  Yes, there are exceptions, but the fact remains that exercise is one thing you can do to reduce your risk of breast cancer.

But what about women (and men – although we think of it as a woman’s disease, men make up about 2% of breast cancer cases.) who have already had breast cancer?  For those currently in treatment, exercise can be a powerful tool in managing the side effects of treatment.  There is also evidence that exercise can reduce the risk of recurrence.  Studies have shown that moderate exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence by as much as 50%. Fifty percent! That is a huge number.  I happen to enjoy exercise.  But even if I hated it, with numbers like that, you can bet I’d be lacing up my gym shoes!  And researchers are just talking about moderate exercise: 30 minutes most days a week of moderate activity such as walking.

And there’s more good news about exercise for breast cancer survivors.  A recent study shows significant benefits from weight lifting for breast cancer survivors with lymphedema. Lymphedema is a swelling of the arm and hand that can result from removal or damage of the lymph nodes during surgery and treatment for breast cancer. It can be a debilitating condition, and precautions should be taken to minimize the risk of developing it.  In 2001, when I was diagnosed, the standard recommendations were to not lift anything heavier than 5 pounds, carry a heavy purse or groceries on the affected side, or do repetitive movements like scrubbing or painting.

In August, the New England Journal of Medicine published a new study from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine(1). This study found that, counter to the common advice, a gradually progressive weight training program may be the best thing women can do for lymphedema.  Those in the weight training program had fewer arm and hand problems, and fewer lymphedema flare-ups.

This is great news for everyone at risk of lymhedema from cancer – for those of us who enjoy some high-intensity activities like rock climbing, windsurfing, or tennis; as well as those who just want to be strong enough to hold their child or cook a roast.

So this year, after you’ve washed your hair with your pink ribbon shampoo, eaten your pink ribbon yogurt, placed the pink ribbon book mark in your book, do something that can really make a difference.  If you have not had breast cancer, congratulations! Try to keep it that way – go to the gym.  If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, go for a walk (or swim, or dance, or whatever you enjoy).  And if you have someone you care about who’s being treated for breast cancer, do something that will help both of you.  Call her up and take her out for a walk.

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1 Schmitz, Ahmed, Troxel, et al. Weight Lifting in Women with Breast-Cancer-Related Lymphedema. New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 361, no. 7 (August 13), 2009: pp. 664-673.

Julie Goodale is a Certified Personal Trainer with the American College of Sports Medicine, and a Certified Cancer Exercise Specialist. Julie offers private training in the New York City and Lower Hudson Valley areas, and provides online fitness information and training through her website, Life-Cise.com. She also leads fitness workshops, and writes regularly about fitness for cancer survivors on her blog, Fitness For Survivors.

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