Queensland X-Ray continues to support the Toowoomba based ‘Fight Back with Fitness’ initiative since its inception in 2017; which helps women affected by cancer improve their health through an exercise intervention program.
Alongside cancer charity organisation Blush Cancer Care, Queensland X-Ray and allied health specialist FitLab, pool resources to offer a 12-week program which takes a holistic approach to women’s health, mid and post cancer.
QXR Chief Sonographer for the Toowoomba region, Michael Hede, who was instrumental in setting up the partnership with FitLab, said;
“Fight Back with Fitness works. It’s that simple. It is based on science. This program is making such a difference in these ladies’ lives, the transformation the participants go though is amazing. These programs are individually tailored and based on ongoing research from Edith Cowan University in Perth which has shown positive benefits to survival rates. At the start of the program, Queensland X-Ray perform a DEXA scan on each participant. The FitLab exercise physiologists use this data, alongside psych and physical assessments, to set highly tailored exercise programs for each participant.”
Michael further explained that, “Upon completion of the program, the participants undergo DEXA scans again which shows their relative improvements over this time. Most ladies see both a reduction in body fat mass and a gain in lean body mass which is the perfect result. It’s wonderful that Queensland X-Ray are contributing to these ladies at this stage of their journey. Quite often our involvement is only at the diagnosis stage, or in the context of follow up review and this is understandably a time of worry for these patients. This represents an opportunity for us to give back in a manner that provides something positive for the ladies and something they actually look forward to. The fact that there are also real health benefits to them for doing these programs is an added bonus.”
Now in its 5th year, over 100 participants have completed the program; with some astounding results. Fight Back with Fitness welcomes new participants to attend an information session in the weeks prior to the commencement of each program. These information nights are held at FitLab, where the potential participants can meet the allied health team from FitLab along with Fight Back With Fitness alumni.
