The Positive Health Project - Oncology Physiotherapy
Giving cancer and lymphoedema patients access to the support and treatment they deserve in order to
A physiotherapy and lymphoedema clinic dedicated to the treatment and support of people affected by cancer.
Appropriate at all stages of the cancer continuum, with the focus on reducing or eliminating side-effects of cancer treatment and improving survivors' strength, ability to function and quality of life.
Treatment can consist of exercise prescription, education, cardiovascular training, r
It is great to see research coming out supporting what we already thought to be true. Patients who began a structured exercise regime with the help of a trained professional after they completed treatment had a 37% lower risk of death and a 28% lower risk of recurrent or new cancers developing, compared with patients who received only health advice.
First clear evidence that structured exercise regime reduces risk of dying by a third, can stop tumours coming back or a new cancer developing
01/06/2025
I attended my 5th Macarthurs Annual Breast Cancer Gala last night. I was honoured to share the night with close friends and some of my wonderful patients. It was extra special to hear a patient's husband bravely go up on stage and share his experience as a loved one of a wonderful woman going through her breast cancer treatment. Thanks to Nat and her team for putting together yet another great fundraiser for the NBCF!
11/05/2025
I was honoured to be interviewed by the amazing Kriss and Cass from Breast Case Scenario and the episode is out now! I had a great time sharing my story and knowledge and I hope you enjoy listening! Here is the link for you to listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/3L4eDFaED13CJn6URuFdGP?si=YD8jGxboT9qYMH4ooqnKEQ
08/05/2025
Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote! Despite my last minute realisation about voting closing, I am proud to announce that for the 4th year in a row we have been successful at being finalists in the local business awards! I will forever be grateful to the support that I receive from my patients and the local community, I love my job and working to provide support to people after a cancer diagnosis!
Hope
06/05/2025
**LOCAL BUSINESS AWARDS**
It is that time of year again when you can vote to support your favourite local businesses! I forgot that now I have moved I am now part of the Campbelltown Local Business Awards, with voting closing today! So if you have time to quickly vote please do, but this is more of a reminder to support any other local businesses that you love!
The Local Business Awards - Recognising and celebrating the best in Local Businesses
16/03/2025
It was such a fun experience recording an episode with Cass and Kris, I can wait to listen to all the episodes and share mine with you when it's released! Make sure you follow them on all the socials and on your podcast platform!
13/02/2025
Breast Lymphoedema
As breast conserving surgery is being used more often to treat breast cancer, I am seeing more cases of breast oedema in the clinic. Patients are often confused as they have only had a sentinel lymph node biopsy done and never considered getting lymphoedema in their breast.
Self MLD is one if the main tools I encourage patients to use to help soften the tissue and move the fluid out of the breast. Compression bras and inserts are also helpful but can be uncomfortable to use daily. The drainage pathways of the breast can be more complex than the arm and it usually requires our best guess as to why fluid is not draining properly and what compensatory pathways the body may be using.
In the following photos I have tried to show where I like to take fluid, based off of the main presentations of lymphoedema I see in the clinic. Following these directions for manual lymphatic drainage massage can help move fluid out of the breast to nearby lymph nodes.
I am keen to hear your massage techniques questions and what pathways you have found helpful if you have breast Lymphoedema.
13/01/2025
ANNOUNCEMENT to let you know that as of this week I have the ability to do 2 exercise classes on a Thursday evening. I will be doing a 5pm class (mixed gender) and a 5.45pm class (mixed gender). This will be Reformer Pilates only class to start off with so only 6 spots per class, with only 3 left at 5pm and 5 at 5.45pm. First in will get the spots, you can do this by emailing or texting me to let me know you are interested - info@thepositivehealthproject.com or 0431818370.
Classes are $25 per class, claimable on private health insurance.
07/01/2025
Well the break is over and I am back in the clinic for a very full day working from Campbelltown. Exercise classes start back up next week with 2 new times being added to the time table. Looking forward to the new year and working towards some new goals for myself and the clinic! See you all soon, Hope
04/01/2025
Today is Jane McGrath day for the Pink test, this amazing fundraiser has been happening for 17 years raising money to fund breast cancer nurses. From this year the McGrath Foundation will now be supporting all cancers and providing their model of care that has been so wonderful for so many women to all Australians. I have purchased my 2 seats, I encouraged you to do the same!
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Why is it's important for all people to have access to cancer rehabilitation?
When it comes to treating an individual, who has been diagnosed with cancer, we fall significantly short of providing holistic, optimal cancer care. In Australia we have some of the best cancer survival rates in the world. We have many amazing charities and organisations that raise money for cancer research and assist in awareness campaigns. We have great screening programs for breast cancer, cervical cancer and bowel cancer and the availability of the HPV vaccine for preventing cervical cancer. However, we are unfortunately seeing our cancer rates increase, with 1 in 7 women being diagnosed with breast cancer and 1 in 7 men being diagnosed with prostate cancer. This increase in number of people being diagnosed, combined with the previously mentioned increased survival rates, means a high percentage of our population have had an unwanted intimate experience of a fight against cancer. The battle can leave many significant, long-lasting and debilitating ‘scars’, impacting all aspects of a person’s life and health. It is understandable that ensuring the eradication of the cancer the main focus of the medical team, but it is possible to minimise the damage done to the patients’ health and wellbeing and this is why cancer rehabilitation should be accessible for all cancer survivors. We should be empowering cancer survivors to take control over their cancer, not just be passive passengers that are left to clean up the mess the cancer and cancer treatment has made. And this is possible through the provision of high-quality, evidence-based cancer rehabilitation services.
Despite all the research, exercise oncology and cancer rehabilitation are still relatively unheard-of terms in our oncology world. I was motivated to move into cancer rehabilitation by the release of a position statement from the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia regarding exercise and in cancer care. This statement recommended that exercise should be “embedded as part of standard practice in cancer care and be viewed as an adjunct therapy that helps counteract the adverse effects of cancer and it’s treatment”. As a physiotherapist, I never knew the role I could be playing in the area of oncology as it was never part of my formal studies or resulting clinical experience. Once I went down the metaphorical ‘rabbit-hole’ and committed to learning more about cancer rehabilitation, I was in shock. I was shocked at how much evidence there was to support the implementation of cancer rehabilitation and also shocked at the fact that this evidence hasn’t be translated into services in our health system.
There are beginnings of cancer rehabilitation and exercise oncology making its way into our health care, with some small programs and services being integrated into our public and private systems. But trying to get the oncologists to change their ways and refer to these services has been one of the most difficult steps of starting my own private cancer rehabilitation clinic. Armed with the evidence, passion and word of mouth, I hope I can change this, to show the medical and my local community the importance of cancer rehabilitation and why all people should have access to cancer rehabilitation. I no longer want to hear ‘why wasn’t I told about this sooner?’ or struggling to get doctors to refer early. When the evidence is so strong about how cancer rehabilitation can attenuate the side effects of cancer treatment and enhance the outcomes and recovery from cancer, we need continue to work hard to ensure all people have access to cancer rehabilitation.
I could present to you all the statistics and evidence in favour of cancer rehabilitation that have been published over the last decade.
I could write a long list of side effects that cancer rehabilitation can prevent and treat in order to reduce disability and improve quality of life.
I could show you the international guidelines that support the inclusion of cancer rehabilitation services as part of standard cancer care.
All of that is important for me as a health professional, it helps me know that my skills and knowledge have the potential to help someone during one of the most difficult times in their life. But for cancer survivors, cancer rehabilitation is more than data, statistics and articles. It is an alternative pathway for them to have a more empowered experience, to take back some of the thing’s cancer can take away like their physical health, psychological wellbeing, financial security, confidence, self-esteem... hope. Cancer rehabilitation sees the person, not the cancer, giving people a voice in what they want and allowing health professionals, such as myself, the opportunity to really make a difference in someone’s cancer journey. Ultimately, cancer rehabilitation should be accessible to everyone because everyone deserves the best chance at beating their cancer and have the support needed to help return them back to the life they want, and this is what cancer rehabilitation can help provide.
