Oncology Physical Therapy

09/17/2025

Amazing! Happy birthday! 💪💜

09/17/2025

Stress isn’t good for your organs. The ripple effects on caregivers like Matt can be profound-let’s continue to improve ways to support them better.

Matt Bowman told the ER doctor: "Something's wrong; check my heart."

His blood pressure and blood work looked OK. The doctor said he was fine, but Matt wouldn't leave. The next day, his doctor ran more tests, including one that showed his left anterior descending (LAD) artery was 99.9% blocked. He needed surgery to reroute blood around the blockage.

Matt had no family history of heart problems and exercised regularly. The likely culprit? Extreme stress from his demanding sales job, plus his wife Robin's breast cancer diagnosis and treatment over the last two years.

After the surgery, Robin held his hand. It was emotional to see Matt in pain. She collapsed and was admitted to the hospital as well. That’s when doctors found eight cancerous tumors in her brain.

On Christmas Eve, Matt and Robin went home together. Matt did cardiac rehabilitation and returned to work, but when Robin’s condition became worse, he became her full-time caregiver.

Doctors gave Robin 18 months to live. At one point, she had 22 tumors in her brain, but she lived for five years. Robin passed away in April 2024. She was 51; she and Matt had been married almost 24 years.

As Matt grieves, he's working on controlling stress. He walks 3 miles a day and rides a stationary bike.

He often thinks about how his family's story could have played out very differently had he not been firm about staying in the hospital that night five years ago.

"If I had not insisted on staying, there was a really good chance both Robin and I could have passed and left the kids all alone," Matt said. "You know your body. If you feel that something's not quite right, do not take that for granted."

09/13/2025

Had a great time catching Dungeness 🦀

Wi******er Bay, OR

09/13/2025

Such a well-written article! Couldn’t agree more.

Fears, pre-conceived notions about health and cancer treatments, prior experiences by family/friends can influence decisions about accepting or rejecting cancer treatments and survivorship, for better or worse.

I wish cancer-specific psych was embedded into the entire spectrum, from diagnosis on, as a standard of care.

For many women, surviving cancer means enduring not just physical pain but the unspoken emotional wounds of a system blind to mental health.

09/06/2025

Great interview with valuable info for oncology practitioners about survivorship issues and the treatment options by a multitude of rehab providers.

Darcy Burbage, DNP, RN, AOCN, an Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist, discusses what oncology nurses and APPs should know about long-term effects of cancer treatment for survivors.

08/29/2025

🌟 Join us for the 2025 Topics in Cancer Conference! 🌟

📅 Saturday, September 27th
📍 Valley River Inn, Eugene
💲 Earlybird Pricing through 8/15! $25 survivors | $35 general admission
🎟 Scholarships available—please don’t let cost be a barrier!

This inspiring one-day event is designed for anyone impacted by cancer—patients at any stage, survivors, those living with chronic or advanced disease, caregivers, family members, healthcare providers, and community supporters.

Attendees will explore the latest advancements in cancer care, discover practical tools for navigating treatment, living well, and survivorship, and engage in open conversations about the challenges and questions that often go unspoken. Earlybird pricing through August 15th - use code "earlybird" to save 50%!

Register now: https://www.topicsincancer.org

💜 We want you there.

08/18/2025

Can cancer treatments hasten the aging process?
Check out epigenetics and how to reverse aging: (hint) you’ve heard this before!

Cancer treatments can speed up aging in survivors, according to research, which can contribute to a person's risk for conditions like heart disease.

08/16/2025

Amazing…now if we could just have part of this donation to help local cancer survivors with physical, emotional and financial needs….

We need more Livestrong programs statewide.

We need to develop outdoor cancer survivor group activities (hiking, biking, walking, running, kayaking etc.)

We need more mental health counselors that are cancer specific.

We need more patient navigators and care coordinators. And more medical providers.

We obviously need more cancer dieticians, physical therapists and lymphedema therapists.

Many patients need financial assistance.

We need more research.

Oregon Health & Science University said the couple’s donation would be the largest single gift to a higher-learning institution in the United States.

08/15/2025

08/12/2025

Cancer-specific counselors and psychologists could be embedded in every cancer team.

This would go along way in helping patients and families deal with the immediate and long term effects and help people regain control and confidence. The system won’t change without patients asking for this team approach.

Coping with cancer and its aftermath isn't easy for anyone. But men tend to fare worse emotionally and physically. They isolate more, seek less support and, alarmingly, die earlier.

08/10/2025

New research from Fred Hutch, the University of Washington and Microsoft Research's AI for Good Lab shows how AI technology can spot breast cancer in MRI scans more accurately than current digital methods, while also pinpointing exactly where suspicious tissue is located — a breakthrough that could make the sensitive screening tool available to more women.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3U0jl5J