Bowel Cancer Rehabilitation

Bowel Cancer Foundation Trust's "Rehabilitation Scheme" was in partnership with Pinc & Steel Cancer Rehabilitation Trust.
Rehabilitation is probably the last thing on your mind after going through months of gruelling chemo/surgery, but it is one of the most important steps in the journey to a long term healthy recovery and can reduce bowel cancer recurrence by up to 28% and up to 44% in other cancers.

In May 2018 experts at the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia, endorsed by 25 other cancer organisations, launched a position statement about the role of exercise alongside surgery, chemotherapy or radiation in order to counteract the negative effects of cancer and its treatment.

It’s the first-ever researcher-led push for exercise to be part of a cancer patient’s treatment.

The researchers recommend patients be prescribed:

  1. ​At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise, like walking, cycling, jogging and swimming each week
  2. Two to three resistance exercises (lifting weights) each week

​Data shows 1 in 4 people are affected by physical and/or emotional impairments after their treatment with little focus placed on rehabilitation programs for survivors.

There is no health service or ACC funding in New Zealand to help people rehabilitate after bowel cancer treatment, and is often a financial burden for many Kiwi families.

Over 3000 Kiwis are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year and with the bowel screening program roll-out, more people will be surviving a cancer diagnosis.

Bowel Cancer Foundation Trust was proud to be a funding partner with Pinc & Steel Cancer Rehabilitation Trust to help those bowel cancer survivors thrive after their treatment and get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

Bowel Cancer Foundation Trust financially supported a number of bowel cancer survivors each year to take part in one of four rehabilitation programs available throughout New Zealand.

Bowel Cancer Foundation Trust payed for the rehabilitation of patients like Charlotte Blick, helping to reduce cancer reoccurrence and secondary illnesses. See the 6-minute video below on Charlotte's story...

Patient Testimonials

"This is a long overdue email to say a heartfelt “Thank You” for funding four PINC sessions for me. I had been struggling with fatigue and myalgia three years after my cancer diagnosis, and getting completely and utterly fed up with it.
After five sessions with a PINC physio, it has completely turned my life around, and I have enough energy to last a whole day! The myalgia has lessened as well, and I am finally able to get back to the stuff I love doing, like riding my horse :)
Thank you very very much!."

Marjon Greenwood

"My pinc and steel sessions were awesome. I really do think they helped a heap while I was doing chemo my balance was rubbish when I first started but got better week on week. I’m now four months on from finishing my chemo and getting my reversal op.
I’ve been back at work now for two months and just gone full time again. I don’t think I would be back working full time at this point if it wasn’t for the pinc and steel sessions.
They got me going again physically and I got loads of exercises to do at home which I feel built me up for my reversal operation and helped me recover quicker. Don’t get me wrong I still do get tired a lot but I’m still here and that’s the important bit and I’m sure the tiredness will get better with time."

​Myles O'Donnell

Pinc & Steel Testimonial

"Bowel Cancer Foundation Trust support bowel cancer patients with rehabilitation through our Pinc and Steel programmes, helping to reduce the reoccurrence of cancer and get patients back to work quicker and much healthier. It has been so easy to work with BCFT.
Being a digitally nimble charity we know we can rely on them to approve patient request for funding almost immediately meaning patients get the help they need straight away.

Lou James, Founder Pinc & Steel

Emma Wong-Ming - A Rehab Patient Story

"I was 35 years old with two young children. I had all of my large bowel removed as well as most of my rectum. I was in the hospital for 6 weeks and after 5 months my troublesome wound finally closed and I was free from the hospital.

​I was also very, very weak. My daughters were aged 3 and 6 and I was determined to look after them. I could barely walk for 5 minutes though.

I saw a brochure on the Pinc Program at the cancer society and although initially a little intimidated, I gave it a go. I really wanted to stand upright! I have a large vertical scar on my stomach and a rather lumpy horizontal one where my infected stoma had been.

I went to see PINC Physiotherapist, Janna from Pilates Flow in Wellington. Straight away I realised the benefit of a physiotherapist lead program - there were many exercises I couldn't do but Janna always found me an alternative. I got strong enough to stand upright, then go back walking.

Like a lot of cancer patients, my rehab was not straight forward. I have ongoing problems with dehydration and complications with medications I need to take daily. Janna always asks how I'm doing and is generally interested in the answer. She can work around the limitations I'm working with that week, even if they sound crazy!

It seems strange to me that rehabilitation is not part of cancer treatment. Without the funding from Bowel Cancer Foundation and the PINC Program, I can't imagine how my recovery would be progressing.

I am now doing PINC Pilates classes with Janna and always feel better when I leave class. My physiotherapist is actually the health professional I see most often. For me, it is actually my cancer social support as well.

I'm now well enough to start looking for work and am excited to move on to the next stage of my life."

I want to thank the Bowel Cancer Foundation Trust for the Rehab sessions to help me back on my feet. They've been such a great help and a real asset to have on my side.

Tegan Hollier

I’ve been back at work now for two months and just gone full time again. I don’t think I would be back working full time at this point if it wasn’t for the pinc and steel rehabilitation sessions paid for by Bowel Cancer Foundation Trust.

Myles O'Donnell

This is a long overdue email to say a heartfelt “Thank You” to Bowel Cancer Foundation Trust for funding four PINC sessions for me. After five sessions with a PINC physio, it has completely turned my life around.

Marjon Greenwood

Charity Achievements

Key Milestones reached by Bowel Cancer Foundation Trust team.

$1.6million

Dollars distributed to help fund vital research and providing better patient outcomes

188

Bowel cancer survivors rehabilitated after gruelling treatment helping to reduce cancer re-occurrence

107+

Bowel screening kits provided to Kiwi’s who do not qualify for free public screening to detect bowel cancer early

14

Loving families kept together for longer with help for immunotherapy treatments that help reduce tumours