Life Now exercise and meditative courses

Meditation can help improve quality of life for people with cancer. Research suggests it is useful for treating chronic pain and insomnia and can help in reducing anxiety, stress and blood pressure.

For more information about meditation, please see our Frequently Asked Questions.

“The Meditation course and the Facilitator were excellent. Highly recommend to others.” Life Now Meditation Participant.

“You meet other people who are in the similar situation. Facilitators are really good and they understand your situation, You learn at your own pace.” Life Now Meditation Participant.

Life Now Meditation is offered to Western Australians who have been diagnosed with cancer, or who have experienced a recurrence, secondary or progression, in the last five years.

Primary carers are also welcome to attend.

So we can help more people to experience the many benefits of meditation, participants are invited to attend a maximum of three Life Now Meditation courses.

Life Now Meditation is an introductory level course running for an hour, each week, for six weeks.

Life Now Meditation will next be offered in May 2021. To be informed of future course dates, or receive further Life Now updates, please subscribe to receive Life Now communications by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au

Possible benefits for cancer patients include improvements in overall quality of life, reduced fatigue, stress, anxiety and depression and improved sleep and mood.

“I very much appreciated the opportunity to undertake the yoga course, and felt it was beneficial for me. I was particularly impressed with the way the instructor was sympathetic toward individual capabilities. Thank you.” Life Now Yoga Participant

“I took up the six free cancer council yoga sessions after my 2018 breast cancer treatment. I have nothing my positive comments and felt supported and respected at my ability level. I felt safe too and most of all enjoyed it as an hour just for me.” Life Now Yoga Participant

Life Now Yoga is offered to Western Australians who have been diagnosed with cancer, or who have experienced a recurrence, secondary or progression, in the last five years.

Primary carers are also welcome to attend.

As this is a beginners course, no prior yoga experience is required to participate.

So we can help more people to experience the many benefits of yoga, participants are invited to attend a maximum of three Life Now Yoga courses.

Life Now Yoga includes a one hour class, once a week for 6 weeks. Each class is facilitated by a senior yoga instructor.

To be informed of future course dates, or receive further Life Now updates, please subscribe to receive Life Now communications by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au

During Mindfulness-based therapies, participants are taught to experience the present moment non-judgmentally, so that they are not excessively thinking of past or future stressors, which can lead to negative thoughts associated with depression and anxiety.

“The course was very helpful for my decision making concerning my cancer. Generally I believe that I’m a better person and better able to cope with good and bad times.” Life Now Mindfulness Participant

“All in all it was a great course. I learnt a great deal and it helps me daily to cope with difficult situations. It’s amazing how you can learn to control the mind and therefore your emotions and reactions.” Life Now Mindfulness Participant

Life Now Mindfulness is offered to Western Australians who have been diagnosed with cancer, or who have experienced a recurrence, secondary or progression, in the last five years.

Primary carers are also welcome to attend.

So we can help more people to experience the benefits of mindfulness, participants are invited to attend one Life Now Mindfulness course only.

Life Now Mindfulness includes a two hour class once a week for 8 weeks. Each class is facilitated by a senior mindfulness instructor.

To be informed of future course dates, or receive further Life Now updates, please subscribe to receive Life Now communications by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au

Research has found that participating in tai chi can have positive effects on fatigue levels and quality of life.

“A brilliant and friendly exercise treatment.” Life Now Tai Chi Participant

Life Now Tai Chi is a gentle six week course, offered at an introductory level for one hour each week.

Life Now Tai Chi is offered to Western Australians who have been diagnosed with cancer, or who have experienced a recurrence, secondary or progression, in the last five years.

Primary carers are also welcome to attend.

As this is a beginners course, no prior tai chi experience is required to participate.

So we can help more people to experience the many benefits of Tai Chi, participants are invited to attend a maximum of three Life Now Tai Chi courses.

Life Now Tai Chi is a gentle six week course, offered at an introductory level for one hour each week.

The next term of Life Now Tai Chi is planned to commence in March 2021. Course locations and dates will be released in Dec 2020/Jan 2021.

To be informed of future course locations and dates, please subscribe to receive Life Now communications by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au

Research has found that exercise is an effective medicine for people with cancer. People with cancer who exercise regularly have fewer and milder side effects from their treatments.

For more information about Exercise and cancer, please see our Frequently Asked Questions.

“The Life Now Exercise Program helped me get through my chemo process. I kept active, but people understood if I had bad days. I looked forward to social interaction with others and making friends in the group, where we had coffee chats. It is really a wonderful way to keep your body active and mind positive.” Helen, Life Now Exercise Participant 2019

“The first day after I was told I had cancer I phoned WA Cancer Council and they helped me very much and the exercise program was a great part of the whole ride, when first told you feel very much alone and the CCWA just made the ride a lot easier to travel and I would highly recommend them to anyone.” Peter, Life Now Exercise Participant 2019

Life Now Exercise is offered to Western Australians who have been diagnosed with cancer in the last two years, are currently undergoing cancer treatment or who have completed cancer treatment in the last two years. Primary carers are eligible to attend with the patient.

So we can help more people to experience the benefits of exercise medicine, participants are invited to attend one Life Now Exercise course only.

Program contraindications include the following health conditions:
• Development of an acute illness, in addition to the initial cancer diagnosis.
• Any musculoskeletal, cardiovascular or neurological disorder that could place the participant at risk of injury or illness resulting from the exercise.
• Presence of bone metastases (cancer in the bone).
• Severe anaemia.
• Neutropenia.

Following registration, each participant must obtain medical clearance and attend an initial assessment with an accredited exercise physiologist who will develop their individually tailored exercise program (fee applies).

Life Now Exercise includes a one hour class twice a week for 12 weeks. Each class is facilitated by an accredited exercise physiologist.

The next term of Life Now Exercise is planned to commence in April 2021. Further updates, will be released in February 2021.

To be informed of future course dates, or receive further Life Now updates, please subscribe to receive Life Now communications by emailing lifenow@cancerwa.asn.au

Yes we do. See Related Resources section below.

Meditation helps you relax, channel a calmer outlook, and results are more instantaneous when practiced often.

Mindfulness is more intense and hands-on. Mindfulness skills learnt during classes change how you process your thoughts, how you mentally react to certain situations, and can support long term changes to your thought processes.

Regular exercise during or after treatment can help to:
• Improve wellbeing & quality of life
• Reduce fatigue
• Improve sleeping patterns
• Improve strength & fitness
• Improve physical function
• Manage pain
• Manage nausea
• Maintain & build muscle mass
• Prevent weight gain
• Preserve metabolism
• Maintain bone health
• Reduce depression & anxiety.

Yes definitely. Just be mindful that the oncologist cannot set up a Chronic Disease Management Plan so if this is something the patient is interested in discussing they must meet with their GP.