Family and friends could be doing more harm than good by insisting people with cancer ‘take it easy’ when they are going through treatment and recovery, a leading charity today warns. 

Macmillan Cancer Support says that family and friends have a crucial role in supporting people to become physically active, which evidence shows significantly benefits recovery and can avoid the disease progressing.

The call comes as a new survey conducted by YouGov for Macmillan Cancer Support has found that just over 60 per cent (61%) of people living with cancer say that having family and friends as company when exercising would do more to help them become more physically active.

This is greater than other factors such as cheap gym membership or advice on fitting physical activity into daily life.

A growing body of evidence shows that physical activity helps not only to manage the often devastating consequences of treatment such as fatigue, depression and heart damage, but also to reduce the risk of the disease worsening, recurring or causing death in cancer patients.

Research shows, for example, that breast cancer patient’s risk of recurrence and of dying from the disease can be reduced by up to 40% by doing recommended levels of physical activity.

Despite this, family and friends are more likely to tell someone with cancer to rest than encourage them to do more physical activity, figures show. 

The survey of 1,011 people living with cancer also found one in four people (25%) living with cancer had not done any physical activity that raised the heart rate in the last seven days, and one fifth of people (20%) did not feel confident about becoming more active than they currently are.

Ailsa Tims, 50, from London was diagnosed with breast cancer and says physical activity has been key to her return to fitness.

“It’s been a decade long recovery because of complications, but without my husband, Simon’s encouragement, it would have been even longer.  He bought us bicycles and we’ve had great fun out cycling and spending days out walking.   My friends also got me into running.”

“Exercise was not in my vocabulary before cancer, but I was feeling like damaged goods after cancer and it gave me back control. It’s a massively positive way to get your life back into balance.”

Lynda Thomas, Chief Executive, Macmillan Cancer Support said:

“Being physically active is a hugely important part of someone’s recovery from cancer, and family and friends must make sure that no one faces this often long, hard journey alone."

“It’s natural to tell people to take it easy when they have cancer, but we know that this isn’t the best thing for many people. By encouraging someone with cancer to get active, family and friends can play an invaluable part in helping them get their life back. It is vital for both individuals, as well as the future of the NHS that people with cancer are able to take control of their health."

“The government has committed to making sure everyone diagnosed with cancer has access to advice on physical activity as part of a recovery package, and we look forward to this being fully implemented as a part of the cancer strategy for England.” 

Professor Jane Maher, Joint Chief Medical Officer at Macmillan Cancer Support and leading clinical oncologist said:

“I would advise my own patients to consider getting active at any stage; whether they are in the middle of treatment or on the road to recovery. Everybody is different, and we are not telling everyone to go rushing about in Lycra; just doing a few exercises or walking a few more steps each day can make a big difference to people with cancer."

“As healthcare professionals we have an important role in advising people with cancer to get moving, and because of the undeniable case for being active, this is increasingly being recognised. But we can’t underestimate the role that loved ones play in encouraging and supporting people with cancer in this way."

“The evidence is there and we simply can’t ignore it. Being physically active could very well save your life – and this is the message we should be getting out to people affected by this horrible disease.”

Source: Macmillan Cancer Support