photo provided by SHIP
Getting back to “normal” after treatment for breast cancer can often be a challenge. Add the restrictions of a global pandemic on top of that and you’re looking at quite a challenge. That’s what Carrie Nelson and her team with the Survivors Health Initiative Project (SHIP) have discovered in their efforts to provide a comprehensive nutrition and exercise curriculum to breast cancer survivors and those with chronic conditions. But it’s a challenge they are well equipped to take on.
Established in 2015, SHIP’s aim is to encourage and empower breast cancer survivors with physician-approved exercise coupled with targeted nutritional guidance. The first step is to be sure that every participant is given the green light by their physician to participate. “We insist that everyone get approval from their doctors, to make sure that they have been medically cleared,” says Carrie. “We want to be sure that each person knows how to work within their limitations and understand how any possible existing conditions might preclude them from engaging in certain exercises.”
One of the common threads that run throughout the program is that most participants are dealing with some type of chronic condition that needs to be addressed in addition to being a breast cancer survivor. “Typically they are looking to change their lifestyle in terms of better nutrition and becoming more physically active,” Carrie says. “Many want to look at acquiring survivorship skills for breast cancer along with help managing their chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or being overweight. The great part about what we do is that we can help teach participants how to manage multiple conditions with the program. We’ve helped folks who have suffered with strokes, fibromyalgia, joint issues…there’s a variety of people who have benefitted from the program with a wide range of conditions.”
While Carrie instructs participants about nutrition, she relies on certified trainers Ray Adkinson and Shirley Nance of 2A Fitness Gym to guide everyone through the exercises that are specifically tailored to the needs of survivors. When the program began, groups of up to a dozen would meet three times a week to work through the program in person. With the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the SHIP crew have had to change things up with the help of technology. “Now we produce videos for folks to follow along with and we meet using Zoom,” Carrie says. “People are looking for ways to stay physically and emotionally healthy right now. We make it a point to listen to people’s needs and provide content that addresses those needs, whether it’s how to ‘get over the hump’ when your weight loss progress has slowed or stopped to how to watch what you eat when you’re stuck at home because of the virus. Folks like seeing people they are familiar wit and they like that personal touch from us rather than just looking for a video on YouTube. Plus, we still do our best to try have some safe, face-to-face time in outdoor parks where we can social distance but still offer encouragement.”
There is no charge to participate in SHIP’s programs and that, Carrie says, is thanks to the help they received from Joy to Life. “Thanks to Joy to Life, it’s free to those in the program,” she says. “That helps us in so many ways. For example, part of that money from JTL goes to providing equipment like weights or exercise balls to participants so that people can maximize their workout effort at home. It makes a big difference in the effectiveness of our program in so many ways.”
Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate on who it touches and SHIP operates in the same way. “There are no boundaries as far as who we help,” Carrie says. “Black, white, male, female…it doesn’t matter. We’re here to encourage each other…to hold each other accountable.” She adds that people often stay with the group even after they complete the typical 8-12 week program with some having been with the program since its inception. “It’s a fellowship once people get in here,” Carrie says. “It really is a community and everyone who joins in can feel the community supporting them as they reach for their goals. That support is a big benefit.”
SHIP is a partnership project of SISTAS Can Survive Coalition incorporated with 2A Fitness Gym.
For more information: Download the SHIP announcement and SHIP flyer.