Life after Cancer is a Community Interest Company, this project is aimed at supporting adults in Waltham Forest who have finished cancer treatment and are looking to increase their physical, mental and social wellbeing via a walking group whilst meeting others who have similar experiences within the local community. Funding received in May 2023 enabled the organisation to pilot a 5 session walking group which ended in September 2023. Life after cancer successfully secured funding in 2023 through the TfL funded Walking and Cycling Grants London programme to continue facilitating this group from Spring 2024 over a period of three years.
Cancer survivors have indicated that they find life after cancer harder than cancer treatment and are intimidated by engaging in group exercise that does not take into account or understand cancer specific barriers. Additionally, attendees of Life after cancer support groups shared insights into their exercise barriers after cancer, and these included fatigue, reduced fitness, low confidence, financial insecurity, self-consciousness and social anxiety. The Life after cancer wellbeing walks project aims to address these barriers by providing an inclusive space to exercise and meet other cancer survivors without fear of judgment.
The ‘Life after Cancer Wellbeing Walks’ project is delivered by a trained Leader who is also a cancer survivor. It aims to deliver 8 Walks per year from March to October in the Walthamstow Wetlands. Walks last 1 hour, covering up to 2.5 miles, one Sunday each month, at a pace that suits walkers while engaging in informal, unstructured conversations. Each walk supports up to 12 participants, translating to 96 individuals per year.
Due to challenges with participants’ availability, from June walks will be delivered on Saturdays instead of Sundays. Another issue has been trying to engage and recruit male attendees. They have since reached out to the local social prescribing team and leaders of local male cancer support groups to make them aware of the walking group. Life after cancer plans to train at least 1 volunteer (who has their own experience of cancer) with a goal to lead their own independent walks in the future.