Walking is the most ancient form of exercise and still one of the best modern forms of exercise you can do. Simple and easily accessible, offering a wealth of physical and emotional benefits, particularly to anyone impacted by cancer.
Regular walking can help manage the side effects of treatment, improve energy levels, and help strengthen your body. Walking promotes better circulation, it supports your immune system, and it even reduces the risk of recurrence.
Walking helps alleviate stress, uplifts your mood, and gives you a sense of control during a challenging time in your life.
Whether you are a cancer survivor, currently receiving treatment, or supporting someone during their treatment, walking is a gentle yet powerful step toward improved health and well-being.
Did you know?
Group walking offers more than just physical benefits. Walking with others creates a sense of community, it fosters connection and motivation. It reduces feelings of isolation that is often experienced during and especially after a cancer journey.
Conversations can be uplifting and provide encouragement to stay active. Sharing experiences and tips during your walks can give you new perspectives and make you make new friends.
About 40% of cancer survivors suffer with low mood.
Group walking can help protect you against depression.
30-60 minutes of continuous exercise like walking releases endorphins, these are like your happy hormones and can lift your mood and help relieve, stress, anxiety and even reduce pain.
Cancer Rehabilitation
Cancer fatigue is experienced by almost everyone going through treatment and it can persist for months and even years after treatment is finished.
Did you know?
Walking can help reduce cancer fatigue. 20-40 minutes of low to moderate exercise can reduce fatigue and give an increased feeling of energy. Brisk walking is classed as s moderate intensity exercise.
Around 5000 steps is enough to boost your health. 5K is roughly 6500 steps depending on your stride.
Did You know?
ParkRun is 5K and that you can walk it. At most groups there will be a pacer for the runners if people are going for personal times, there will be someone with a high vis vest for walkers to group with and there is someone at the back to make sure everybody is doing ok.
5K Your Way Move Against Cancer is run on the last Saturday of each month alongside some ParkRuns. I am one of the ambassadors for the Clacton Seafront group launching on 25th January 2025. You can just turn up. We meet at 8.45am and you will see our flag and our volunteers in bright blue shirts. If you are worried about coming alone message or email me.
If you need some inspiration read Sarah’s story
Sarah’s Story: I am a 57 year old wife, mother and grandmother leading my life as happily and healthy as I could be up until August last year and then I began a journey I was not expecting. I was diagnosed with breast cancer and in September I had a lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy and then started weekly chemotherapy for 12 weeks.
And my saving grace to all this has been walking. It was all a blur to start with but I realised early on that exercise will be key to my recovery physically and emotionally. I was hesitant to what I would be able to do after surgery and with the side effects of chemotherapy, so I thought whatever I am feeling I must walk each day, doesn’t matter how far but just to move. And that is exactly what I have done and I am pleased to say I have walked almost every day with the encouragement and support from my husband, somedays it was just 20 minutes as that was all I could manage and then other days we walked up to 4 miles.
On the tough days it took all my effort to take some deep breaths and roll my shoulders and even if we didn’t go very far I always felt 100% better than when I started. On the good days whatever the weather it felt like a sense of achievement as I was doing something to help my mind and body and it felt so good to be doing this.
Walking has been like a therapy for both my husband and myself on this difficult and unknown journey. It has given me back some control of me which I felt I lost as soon as I was told I had cancer and for my husband it gave him a feeling of being able to do something to help me. I also know it has helped with the side effects of chemotherapy as there were far more good days than bad.
