YMCA's LiveStrong program supports cancer survivors

Mar. 28—A local fitness program aims to give cancer survivors some extra strength.

For the last year, the YMCA has offered a LiveStrong program as a resource to support and mentally and physically build up cancer survivors. The 12-week membership to the fitness facility is for anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer and allows a caregiver to come along for support.

The goal for Linda McNeiley, an instructor at the YMCA, is to get people comfortable coming into the facility and learning about all of the equipment and what classes they can join so that after the three-month program, they will become more frequent members. LiveStrong is intended to be a space to uplift those who attend.

"We offer group support, we bring in speakers and we have group discussion so that what we try to do is to build a bonding experience within the group," McNeiley said. "We also have other people from previous classes that are welcome to come and join, so they kind of get a lot of feedback from other people who have experienced the program."

McNeiley said the program is a great resource for those who have lost touch with their fitness journey and health because of their diagnosis.

"We take people wherever they are and we try to get them back to health to this three-month period and it's just a great way to start," McNeiley said. "It's also a great way to work with other people who have had the same experience of hearing that cancer diagnosis and kind of work as a group to give them that to help with."

Through all the program offers, it has created bonds between the participants as well as the instructors.

"It's very difficult for us to actually let these people go at the end of the 12 weeks," McNeiley said. "What we thought was going to happen was that we would work with these people for 12 weeks and that it would kind of be done, so to speak, but we can't let them go. And apparently, they can't let us go either."

The YMCA regularly welcomes those who have graduated from the program back to the facility for coffee and doughnuts or pizza, and some continue to come back to class occasionally. Participants stay in touch through a Facebook page after their session of the program has ended to ensure that bond stays alive.

"We have a very cohesive group and we want to continue making that happen so that we all stay in touch and support each other," McNeiley said. "Some of these survivors still have a rough road ahead of them and we just all stay together so that they can continue to get that support. "

Anyone over the age of 18 who has been diagnosed with cancer is encouraged to call the YMCA at 816-671-9622. A new session, running on Tuesdays and Thursdays, is starting on April 4. Additional information can be found on the YMCA St. Joseph's Facebook page.

Stef Manchen can be reached at stef.manchen@newspressnow.com.