Steps to Wellness

Oncology Rehabilitation at UVM Cancer Center

A cancer diagnosis can pose challenges to your body and mind. During treatment, it’s important for you to have a supportive team to help you build strength, increase your energy and restore a sense of trust in your body and its ability to heal and stay healthy. Regular exercise also strengthens your heart, muscles and bones while reducing stress and anxiety.

University of Vermont Health supports cancer treatment, exercise and recovery with Steps to Wellness, a medically-informed-rehabilitation and group-exercise program that serves the unique needs of patients with cancer. This 12-week strength and endurance training program is available at no cost.

Why Choose UVM Health?

We offer:

Collaborative, coordinated care: You receive care from a multidisciplinary team, led by physical therapists and exercise trainers, informed by your cancer treatment team. As part of a health system anchored by an academic medical center, our physician leaders are also active researchers.
Patient-first philosophy: Ensuring your physical and emotional well-being is as important to us as treating cancer. We support and empower cancer survivors through a proven and structured group approach to exercise.
Convenient, accessible expertise: The program is available in-person and online to allow patients to join from the comfort of their own home.

Who is Eligible for Steps to Wellness?

Individuals with a diagnosis of cancer or a hematologic disorder, at any stage or time frame, are eligible to participate. Your oncology team may refer you to the program, or you may self-refer and contact the program directly.

If you are not ready to begin the supervised Steps to Wellness exercise program due to pain, balance, deconditioning/fatigue, lymphedema or orthopedic issues, you may be referred to one-on-one skilled physical therapy. Once you're ready, your physical therapist may transition you to the supervised Steps to Wellness exercise program.

What to Expect

The 12-week program is specifically designed to help participants achieve renewed levels of strength and well-being. It will also provide practical tools to enhance lifelong health benefits.

We also offer a pre-operative rehabilitation program called Steps to Wellness - Prehab. In this referral program, patients that are preparing for surgery or other treatment related to their cancer diagnosis will be eligible for rehabilitation services. Participants typically receive four weeks of rehabilitation care prior to their procedure.

Evaluation

Prior to beginning the 12-week exercise program, we assess your baseline health and physical fitness with:

One-hour evaluation with a physical therapist
30-minute telehealth evaluation with a health care provider specializing in cancer may also be needed

If our team determines that you are not ready to start the group program, you will receive one-on-one physical therapy or other referrals as needed. The Steps to Wellness program is available at no cost, however the initial evaluation will be charged to your insurance.

Program Placement

Once you have completed the intake evaluations and are cleared to participate, you will be assigned a start date based on your availability, preference of in-person or online program and openings in the group. Up to six participants will be placed in each new group.

Orientation

You and your group will complete orientation sessions designed to teach the fundamentals of exercise training. Our certified exercise trainers will safely guide you through each program component to review effective training techniques, assist with equipment recommendations and provide individual exercise modifications as needed to ensure proper form and posture.

Group Exercise

The remainder of your 12-week program will consist of two trainer-led group exercise classes per week. Each class will consist of strength and aerobic training as well as balance, flexibility and posture exercises. Consistent attendance is encouraged for optimal program benefits. We also encourage exercise on other days of the week.

Online group: Each class is 60 minutes long and held on Zoom.
In-person group: Each class is 75 minutes long and held at the Rehab Therapy Clinic at the O’Brien Community Center in Winooski.

Lifestyle Changes

Establishing life-long healthy habits is important. Steps to Wellness and clinicians from the UVM Cancer Center offer educational opportunities and resources to help you identify, establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle. These resources include presentations and services to address many topics, including nutrition, stress management, mindfulness and physical activity.

After completing your 12-week program, you will be encouraged to continue exercising regularly, ideally five times a week. To assist with this goal, you will be invited to join our online group exercise program for program graduates who are interested in continued accountability.