Physical exercise is the wonder drug for people affected by cancer

On November 1st New Zealand’s largest stand up paddle board event, Starboard Paddle For Hope, and The PINC & STEEL Cancer Rehabilitation Trust will come together to raise funds for people affected by cancer in New Zealand.

The Starboard Paddle for Hope festival is a fun family fundraising event now in its four year, which aims to raise $100,000 for the PINC & STEEL Cancer Rehabilitation Trust, and will take place at the newly-developed St Mary’s Bay in Westhaven, Auckland.

Teams and individuals can enter the event here (http://www.paddleforhope.co.nz/get-on-board/register/) and take part in have-a-go lessons, yogaboarding, hula workshops, sprint racing and a teams SUP relay on November 1st.

The PINC & STEEL Cancer Rehabilitation Trust works with people affected by cancer to help them improve their strength, flexibility, quality of life and general wellbeing through rehabilitation and exercise.

Founder of PINC and STEEL, Lou James, says there is a large amount of international research now showing compelling evidence that rehabilitation and physical exercise can have a dramatic effect on a person’s life when affected by cancer including reducing the side effects of treatment, improving quality of life and prognosis.

“Large observational research studies of women suffering from breast cancer show a 50 – 53% increased chance of survival if they undertake regular moderate intensity exercise, while similar studies show 3 hours per week of moderate intensity physical activity after diagnosis of colon cancer can have a 39 – 59% reduction in death due to colon cancer,“ says Ms James.

“If there was a drug that produced those results everyone would be taking it,” says Ms James.

"There have been great strides in clinical treatment for cancer but with little or no rehabilitation and exercise support people often suffer long term effects from cancer treatment which can be a barrier to getting back to exercise, sport and lesure activities people love.

“Exercise has an incredible effect on your body and mind and it can help people shift their focus from illness to wellness.

“Exercise like stand up paddle boarding and the Starboard Paddle for Hope festival is an excellent,  fun, safe and relatively easy physical activity cancer sufferers can do to improve their health and wellbeing,” says Ms James.

Sweet Louise is a charity uniquely focused on the needs of New Zealanders living with secondary breast cancer and has joined forces with the 2014 Starboard Paddle for Hope event.

For every $300 raised for the Sweet Louise charity during this year’s Starboard Paddle for Hope event will give one person living with cancer the chance to attend a five-week PINC and STEEL Cancer Rehabilitation program at no cost.

Starboard Paddle for Hope event director, Victoria Stuart, says coming together with Sweet Louise to raise more funds for cancer sufferers is a great forward-thinking approach to tackling the effects of cancer.

“When new evidence and research points towards exercise as a major contributor to improving survival rates, you have to work together and do whatever you can to get as many people into programmes like PINC and STEEL as fast as you can,” says Ms Stuart.

“I implore all Kiwis in and around Auckland on November 1 to come and take part in Paddle for Hope on November 1 or donate here http://www.paddleforhope.co.nz/get-on-board/make-a-donation/ and help someone with cancer.

“It’s a great event and anyone who can stand up, can stand up paddle board.”