The shockingly low adherence to recommended survivorship care – just 4% of cancer survivors meeting American Cancer Society guidelines – is driving a surge in innovative, accessible programs like reBUILD. Recognized by the ACSM Cancer SIG on World Cancer Day, reBUILD isn’t just another exercise program; it’s a symptom of a larger shift towards proactive, implementation-focused lifestyle medicine, and a potential model for bridging the gap between medical advice and patient action.
- The Adherence Crisis: A mere 4% of cancer survivors follow recommended lifestyle guidelines, highlighting a critical need for better support systems.
- Beyond Awareness: The focus is shifting from simply *knowing* what to do to *actually doing* it, with programs like reBUILD prioritizing implementation.
- Community as a Catalyst: reBUILD’s success hinges on its community aspect, recognizing the power of social support in long-term health behavior change.
For years, the medical community has understood the benefits of exercise and lifestyle interventions for cancer survivors – improved physical function, reduced fatigue, enhanced quality of life, and even improved disease-free survival. However, translating this knowledge into widespread practice has proven remarkably difficult. The JAMA Oncology study cited by Sami Mansfield, founder of Cancer Wellness for Life and creator of reBUILD, underscores this challenge. The reasons are multifaceted: treatment side effects, emotional distress, lack of access to specialized programs, and simply not knowing where to start are all significant barriers. Traditional cancer care often focuses on acute treatment, with survivorship care lagging behind.
reBUILD, a 6-week on-demand program integrated within Mansfield’s broader My Life style Shift program, attempts to address these barriers with its accessibility (workouts under 20 minutes, minimal equipment) and emphasis on community. The monthly online group sessions are a key differentiator, providing accountability and social connection – elements often missing from individual exercise plans. This approach aligns with the growing recognition within lifestyle medicine that behavior change is most effective when supported by a strong social network.
The Forward Look: Expect to see increased investment and development in similar “implementation science” programs. The ACSM Cancer SIG’s spotlight on reBUILD signals a broader trend within the professional oncology community towards recognizing and promoting exercise as essential care. We can anticipate further integration of lifestyle medicine into standard cancer care protocols, potentially incentivized by insurance providers seeking to improve patient outcomes and reduce long-term healthcare costs. The success of programs like reBUILD will likely drive demand for more personalized, digitally-delivered interventions, and a greater emphasis on the role of community in supporting long-term health and well-being for cancer survivors. The key will be demonstrating robust, long-term data on the effectiveness of these programs to secure wider adoption and reimbursement.
More posts featuring Sami (Papacek) Mansfield on OncoDaily.
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