This page provides a comprehensive guide on how to enroll in the CancerPEP six-month program. To join, please
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- Read and agree to our Medical Waiver, Privacy Policy, and Terms and Conditions.
- Obtain approval to participate in aerobic exercise and light strength training or Yoga (or confirm your own fitness to exercise).
- Acquire exercise bands and handles, and optionally a biofeedback monitor.
- Make the payment for the program or email us directly if you are being sponsored.
During the final step (paying/ check out) or if you sign up for free you will be asked to provide your email address and select the desired start date for the program which always commences on a Sunday.
Our software will send you a daily email for six months. These emails will provide instructional content and motivation to engage in the program’s recommended activities. Each email will include a link to a 4-6 minute PEP video for the day. Additionally, you will have the option to participate in a monthly videoconference, connect with two co-participants (PEP Partners) who call each other once per week, and join a confidential Facebook group.
The medical waiver and Privacy Policy
You can read the entire Medical Waiver, Privacy Policy / Confidentiality Agreement, and Terms and Conditions below.
Get approval to exercise
Before you start the program, you can attest to your safety to exercise or be deemed safe to do aerobic and light strength training exercise (especially if you had a heart attack or stroke in the last year). You can start the program even if you can only do a few minutes of aerobic exercise like walking every day.
Safety to do Strength Training or Yoga
Next, we recommend some type of strength training twice per week. You can start with our light yoga routine. You also have the option of doing our home-based strength training program using elastic bands and your body weight. Watch the video below and consider if you could do all of these strength training exercises (each of them for at least a few seconds) without causing yourself problems. You can modify any one or all of these exercises to make sure they are safe for you, or work with a personal trainer to create a personalized exercise / strength training program.
In the strength training videos we include a modified version of most of the exercises to make them easier and safer (see picture below). Gabriela appears in the top left part of the video doing the easier version. For example for the ‘Bird Dog’ exercise below she uses a chair so she doesn’t need to get down on the floor.
An alternative to doing the strength training shown above is to follow one of our Yoga videos. One is easy and the other two are more challenging. Again, this program is about having you exercise in a safe way, even if you can’t do much strength training or Yoga to start out.
In summary, you need to get approval +/- advice from a Physician or a Certified Exercise Professional to give you permission to do aerobic exercise and strength training (or Yoga) OR you can attest to doing this program safely.
Get the equipment
To follow our strength training videos you will need exercise elastic bands with handles. Your options are a) Buy them from a sports or fitness store and get advice from the staff about which elastic bands to buy, b) go online and order yourself:
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- Buy one of these kits, “light kit” or “heavy kit” depending on your strength level. Each kit includes three resistance tubes at this website: click here
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- Buy a TheraBand Accessories Kit which has the handles, door anchor, and assist strap: click here
For our strength training program it will be helpful to have a yoga mat or soft surface at home to do the strength training and/or Yoga. You can buy a yoga mat online, from a sports store or most yoga studios. You can just use a thick blanket on the floor too.
OPTIONAL Biofeedback monitor: Every day of the program we will ask you to practice a relaxation technique for 10 minutes (we provide links to videos you can follow). Using a biofeedback monitor can increase the benefits of doing this meditation / visualization exercise. We are drawing on the science published by the HeartMath Institute which developed and distribute a heart-rate-variability monitor we have used with men affected by prostate cancer and in our PCPEP clinical trial. It’s a device you clip onto your ear and connect to your smart phone or computer during the practice period. The monitor picks up your heart rhythm and, in simplified terms, gives you ongoing feedback of your stress level. By using this feedback you can learn to settle down your nervous system overall and on cue. This device costs about $225 USD plus shipping from California. Alternatively, you can get ongoing biofeedback by placing your finger on the camera of your phone and using the HeartMath App (the subscription costs $99 per year). This app works very well and can really help you learn to relax your nervous system.
Pay for the Program (or join us free if you have a sponsor)
Join our comprehensive 6-month program for just over $1 per day (up front $210 or $35 per month billed over six months) via a credit or debit card through a secure third-party provider (WooComerce/Stripe). If you have been given a coupon use it to ‘pay’ $0 and not need to input any financial information.
Cancellation Policy. If, for any reason, you decide not to continue with the program before the day 10 of the program please inform us via email. We will gladly refund 100% of your purchase. If you cancel the program after day 10, kindly send us an email. We will promptly cancel any future monthly billings.
Prepare for the Program
Once you sign up you will receive a confirmation email which will direct you to watch six educational videos (how to get the best care from the medical system, CancerPEP overview, relationships, science of sleep, anti-cancer diet, and how to exercise). You can watch these videos over a number of days, and hopefully before the first Sunday of the program.
During the six months of the program, you will have access to the educational videos listed above and other program materials, and we will invite you to join our monthly videoconferences, and other live offerings. Once the six month program is over you can access the program materials and join the videoconferences for a low monthly subscription.
TO PAY or sign up free via sponsorship please email Rob.Rutledge@nshealth.ca