Thursday December 12, 2024

“I couldn’t walk and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to, and now I can, I’m so grateful.”

Melissa was diagnosed with lung cancer in April 2023, after it had metastasized in her ankle. The pain was so unbearable, she was unable to walk for 10 months and had to remain on crutches.

On her journey to regain function in her legs and feet, Melissa met Dr Amy Dennett, Research Fellow and Clinical Educator Physiotherapy.

Dr Dennett’s research project, Telehealth Cancer Rehabilitation (TeleCaRe), is an eight-week physiotherapy program, specifically designed for cancer patients, and is delivered through telehealth.

“Being able to provide a program via telehealth catches those people who might not do traditional, in-person kinds of programs, but they’re willing to at least try it out in their home environment. So hearing from patients that have gone through the program who have been able to exercise when they otherwise wouldn’t have, is really rewarding.

“Many people with cancer can’t come to a face-to-face program  for various reasons. They might be immunocompromised, or they might not be comfortable with meeting other people, or they’ve simply got too many appointments, so it’s just another thing to add to their list,” Dr Dennett said.

Access to any kind of exercise program for people with cancer is very rare. There are only one in 200 programs available in the country, and very few are delivered by telehealth.

Melissa has now completed the eight-week program, and her physical improvements have given her back her freedom.

“It’s great that I can do it at home, because I live over an hour and a half from Melbourne, so travelling is difficult. I’m in my own space, but I’ve got someone watching me and making sure that I don’t fall down and can’t get up.

“I can now walk outside on uneven ground, which I couldn’t do at the start of the program. TeleCaRe improved my ability to move so much more, which helped me mentally too. I was able to get back into my life.”

With the results of the TeleCaRe program showing vast improvement in quality of life for cancer patients, it has become standard practice as part of the Eastern Health Community Health service.

Watch the video below and hear from Melissa.