Cancer Prehabilitation: The Missing Piece in Recovery?

Can preparing for cancer treatment before it begins improve recovery and quality of life?

In this episode of In the Rising Podcast, host and physical therapist Bettina Brown, explores the growing concept of cancer prehabilitation, inspired by Dr. Jessica Chang's powerful message: "Prehab for All."

Most people never expect to hear the words, "You have cancer." Yet between diagnosis and the start of treatment, there is often an opportunity to prepare both physically and emotionally for the journey ahead. Bettina discusses why optimizing mobility, addressing questions and expectations, and building support systems before treatment may help improve outcomes during and after cancer care.

She also highlights some of the current challenges facing cancer rehabilitation, including limited awareness, a shortage of specialized providers, and barriers that prevent many patients from receiving the support they need. Drawing on her own experiences working in oncology rehabilitation, Bettina shares why even a few visits with a rehabilitation professional can make a meaningful difference in helping survivors return to the activities and hobbies that bring joy and purpose to life.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What cancer prehabilitation is and why the concept of "Prehab for All" matters
• Why there may be an important window between diagnosis and treatment to prepare the body and mind
• How exercise and healthy eating contribute to recovery and reducing cancer risk
• The potential benefits of rehabilitation during and after cancer treatment
• Why quality of life extends beyond physical health to emotional and psychological well-being
• The current barriers to accessing cancer rehabilitation services
• Why even one rehabilitation visit can provide valuable education and support
• Questions you can ask your healthcare team about rehabilitation options

Whether you're newly diagnosed, currently undergoing treatment, recovering from cancer, or supporting a loved one through the journey, this episode offers hope and encouragement that preparation and rehabilitation can play a vital role in helping people not just survive—but thrive.

Because cancer affects more than one person, and healing involves more than treating the disease itself.

Until next time, let's keep building one another up.

Rising Within Life Coaching™ – By Bettina Brown

Helping individuals navigate life's transitions with resilience, hope, and purpose.

Resources Mentioned:

• Dr. Jessica Chang
• Cancer prehabilitation
• Oncology rehabilitation
• Physical therapy and cancer recovery

Thank you for your time and interest in this podcast! I invite you to leave a heartfelt review on whichever podcast platform you listen to.  It does so much to bring exposure to the podcast and helps lift others up!
Email:  Bettina@intherising.com

Transcript

Bettina M Brown 0:04

Hello and welcome to In the Rising a health and wellness podcast for those going through and those supporting those going through cancer . My name is Bettina Brown and I'm board certified in physical therapy , wound care and lymphedema . And you know , for me cancer is very personal . It's affected my friends , my immediate and my not so immediate family , and therefore I created this podcast and fitafterbreastcancercom to address the multiple dimensions of our lives during and after recovery . Hello , hello , I wanted to share this .

Bettina M Brown 0:43

I came across Dr Jessica Chang's comments on Cancer Network , home of the Journal of Oncology , and she expressed the phrase prehab for all . That's her catchphrase and I was completely sold For one . I'm a physical therapist and I believe in the value of prehab , but I also know that people tend to do better after surgery , after treatment of any kind , once they have a higher level of mobility . Again , these views are my own , it is only my perspective that I see , but I believe the better support groups we have , the better understanding and expectations that we have of surgery , of treatment , the more those questions that are answered before the beginning of any treatment or surgery , from orthopedics to oncology we tend to have better outcomes . So I have yet to come across anyone who has plans to have cancer . We tend to organize and plan and schedule certain surgeries , but I have yet to ever meet someone who says , oh , I think I'm going to have fill-in-the-blank cancer next summer when you find out . Hearing the word is enough , but most often treatment is not started within 10 minutes of diagnosis . There is still time .

Bettina M Brown 1:53

There are multiple considerations that have to be taken into account , so could there be an opportunity right then and there to prepare the body for whatever treatment is best suited ? Could having rehab during treatment also improve your perceived outcome ? Could the ability to do things that you enjoy during and after treatment go up ? Could there be a reduction in the amount of time that you have to stay in the hospital ? Could there be a reduction in the likelihood that your cancer is going to return Right ? The two E's eating and exercise are often the likelihood that your cancer is going to return Right the two E's eating and exercise are often the things that we talk about the most to reduce your cancer risk , though there is no zero risk possibility , but these two things really help reduce that .

Bettina M Brown 2:37

What are the current conditions or limitations to prevent cancer prehab and a lot of cancer rehabilitation from actually taking place For one , ordering it from the providers . This is still a newer area of therapy and cancer rehab , and so of course there still needs to be more research . That's done , the better , more likely this can be adopted . There are also limited numbers of people who are available for the prehab . For physical therapy , for example , there are fewer than 200 board-certified oncology rehab specialists in the entire nation . There are fewer PTs and OTs that can do lymphedema Within the state of New Mexico where I practice . When I was most involved in cancer rehab a few years ago , there were 17 lymphedema specialists in a state with a population of 2 million people .

Bettina M Brown 3:26

But cancer rehab does not necessarily have to only be performed by those who have completed this extensive amount of training .

Bettina M Brown 3:34

And then there's the lack of general knowledge in the public to ask for it , because it's not something that's so well promoted , Since rehab can take a long time after treatment , and that can be in person or virtual appointment after appointment is not really what a lot of people want .

Bettina M Brown 3:51

There's a time when we want to say enough , because it reminds us of what we've just been through , but the inability to complete the tasks and the hobbies can make a real difference , for the quality of life of a person can make a real difference for the quality of life of a person , and quality of life has not only these physical impacts , but emotional and psychological impacts as well that affect someone's friends , their family and community , Because very , very rarely is only one person affected by the diagnosis of cancer , and so I encourage you to look up on Dr Jessica Chang's comments , learn more about it for yourself , ask your own provider about this , and if you haven't had the chance to have any rehab after your cancer treatment and you're feeling the inability to do the things that you really care about in life , I absolutely recommend that you follow to get at least a few visits in .

Bettina M Brown 4:44

That makes such a difference for people that I've encountered , Even if it's a one-time visit . Just that knowledge can make a very big difference . All right , and until next time , let's keep building one another up . Thank you .