Evidence Update: Impact of Yoga for Breast Cancer Patients
Studies have shown that relaxation techniques and exercise such as yoga have been shown to increase overall health of the body and quality of life of the individual. A review article was done studying the effect on yoga of quality of life of women with breast cancer. Yoga was determined to help with physical and body stability and help with relaxation. The study noted that yoga can be beneficial for immune system modification and help to stabilize the autonomic nervous system and control emotions. It is highly recommended that women going through breast cancer treatment engage in some type of exercise in order to help maintain their quality of life. Dehghanmehr, S, Varasteh, S, Koochakzai, M, Nooraeen, S, and Salarzaei, M; (2018) Studying the Effect of Doing Yoga on the Quality of the Life of Women with Breast Cancer: A Review Article. Prensa Med Argent 104:2. doi: 10.4172/0032-745X.1000278.
Welcome Pat Royak to the Board
Pat Royak Joins TurningPoint Board of Directors Please join us in welcoming Patricia J. Royak to the Board of Directors. (Pat is pictured right–at the 2018 Pink Affair–with TurningPoint’s Executive Director Rebecca Cowens-Alvarado.) Pat is a global executive leading iconic lifestyle brands in consumer and medical device fields, on three continents: Asia, Europe, and North America. She has been at the helm of several leading clothing and intimates brands. Pat served as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of International at Maidenform Brands, Inc. She has also held posts as President at Calvin Klein® Jeans, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing for Liz Claiborne Apparel and President for Liz Claiborne Europe. Most recently, Pat served as the COO The Marena Group, a global leader in medical-grade compression, based in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Pat now resides in Atlanta with her husband Jack, and their son John Robert, a senior at Marist College. She is an avid supporter of several philanthropic organizations including the American Cancer Society and TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation Center where she has worked to raise awareness, and guide fundraising efforts that have exceeded expectations. Pat serves on the Advisory Board for the Perdue School of Business at Salisbury University and was previously a board member of the American Heart Association.
You can #MakeItPersonal
Some Tips for Participating in TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation’s #MakeItPersonal Campaign As we celebrate TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation’s 15th anniversary this fall and into 2019, we are inviting and welcoming you to tell your individual stories regarding your respective journeys with breast cancer. The ultimate goal of the #MakeItPersonal campaign during this milestone is to increase awareness for TurningPoint, both for those supporting and battling breast cancer. If this effort builds significant momentum, we will be making a difference for years to come in metro Atlanta and beyond. It is the moving, inspiring stories of our patients, staff, volunteers and supporters that do the best job of capturing the essence and uniqueness of TurningPoint. Additionally, such stories often describe the many benefits TurningPoint provides for the women and men served. We invite you to tell your story through videos, photos, and or writing and ask that you limit your videos to 1 minute 30 seconds. We would love to share your inspiring journey and how TurningPoint helped play a role in it on whatever social media platform you feel most comfortable with—be it Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. In doing this, we ask that you address any aspects of your journey but with specific reference to TurningPoint’s role in your journey. ∞ ∞ ∞ In responding to this query, will you please consider answering the following questions? How and why are you involved with TurningPoint? What was the thing you value most from your association with TurningPoint? What made your experience at TurningPoint unique to your journey? Can you talk about the staff and the specific help they provided you and your family? How did TurningPoint impact your physical abilities and the return to participating in activities you did prior to learning about your breast cancer diagnosis. When you tell your story via video, here are some important tips to keep in mind. Find a quiet, comfortable place to record without any distractions; minimize the potential for disruption You don’t need a script but have a pretty good idea of what you’d like to say before you record. This will make the process go faster and more smoothly. Be authentic/be yourself as we want to know how TurningPoint most impacted your journey. If people understand how TurningPoint affects a breast cancer patient or the loved one of a TurningPoint patient, it helps on multiple levels, including increasing awareness to patients, caregivers, and doctors in the entire breast cancer community. When you post by way of relevant social media, we ask that you reference the official hashtag #MakeItPersonal (note M, I and P are all capitalized to help read it more easily) and TurningPoint’s handle @TurningPointBCR    Feel free to also reference other hashtags such as #breastcancer, #physicaltherapy and #cancercare Also, be sure to follow TurningPoint on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TurningPointBCR/ and share posts you see pertaining to #MakeItPersonal. Here are 9 examples of sample verbiage to use (please attach some image, video, or link to accompany this as the visual element of social media is so powerful and compelling.) *    During my breast cancer journey @TurningPointBCR served an invaluable role helping me become cancer free. I will never forget the indelible impact the organization left on me and my family during the peaks and valleys of my experience. I’m forever grateful. #MakeItPersonal *    I didn’t know what steps to take following my treatment plan for breast cancer three years ago. Fortunately, I came across @TurningPointBCR & its compassionate staff and will never forget the tears, smiles, screams and laughs that helped in my recovery. #MakeItPersonal *    I will always consider my time as a patient with @TurningPointBCR as the most important part of journey beating breast cancer. Without the love and support of their amazing staff and fellow patients, I don’t know that I would have found the strength to survive. #MakeItPersonal *    I always think about @TurningPointBCR for the game-changing support helping me in my battle against breast cancer.  I would not be here today without TP’s extraordinary staff helping me with physical and massage therapy. #MakeItPersonal *    It wasn’t until I went to @TurningPointBCR where I regained strength and was able to lift my ## year old child again. I will remember the real warmth and support every member of the staff showed toward me and my family. I wouldn’t be here today without it!  #MakeItPersonal *    For anyone battling breast cancer you should learn about @TurningPointBCR. It’s a unique nonprofit in metro Atlanta focused on survivorship, helping one with breast cancer feel better faster and fully return to engage in activities enjoyed before the bc diagnosis. #MakeItPersonal *    @TurningPointBCR supports women and men of all backgrounds on the way to a full recovery, providing services such as physical & massage therapy. #MakeItPersonal *    What stands out the most about my experience with breast cancer is the time I spent @TurningPointBCR. The organization helped me feel better mentally, physically and psychologically and brought me back to my family. Everyone with breast cancer needs to know about this hidden gem. #MakeItPersonal *    If I didn’t learn about @TurningPointBCR while battling breast cancer, I don’t know that I’d be here as a survivor today. The nonprofit’s genuine and skilled staff brought me back to being myself again for my family and friends. And now I have a new lease on life! #MakeItPersonal Thank you so much in advance for your support and help boosting the critical work and mission of TurningPoint!
Patient Perspective: Jodie
I was diagnosed in Jan. 2017, with breast cancer in both breasts. I had a double mastectomy in February and then an axillary node dissection which removed all my lymph nodes on the right side. I had 16 rounds of chemo and 32 rounds of radiation. I first started going to TurningPoint after my surgeries, because I could barely lift my arms over my head. They were amazing and got me back to where I could reach into my top cabinets again and could start lifting light weights. I went back to TurningPoint after my radiation was complete because my right side was so stiff. The radiation treatment really inhibited my right side and I was again unable to lift my right arm over my head, and I was in a lot of pain. Once again TurningPoint got me back to a sense of normalcy. I am now able to fully reach over my head, and I’ve started lifting weights again. The pain in my arm and shoulder has almost completely gone. I still go to TurningPoint about once a month to work on my range of motion. I really don’t know where I would be without them! When I think back to how stiff and tight I was after the surgery and then radiation, it’s amazing the difference! I’m truly grateful for them.
