Pioneering exercise programme for men living with Prostate Cancer launched at SPFL clubs
Prostate Scotland and the SPFL Trust have teamed up to launch Prostate FFIT – (Football Fans in Training), a new 12 week exercise pilot project for men living with prostate cancer in Scotland.
The 12-week course is tailored to the needs of men with prostate cancer, and is based on research demonstrating the benefits of such exercise. Developed by Prostate Scotland in partnership with the SPFL Trust and the University of Glasgow, the programme will initially be offered at Tynecastle, delivered by Heart of Midlothian FC and at Ibrox, with the Rangers Charity Foundation. It was launched at an event at Hampden, in Glasgow on Wednesday 7 December.
The pilot is a tailored version of Football Fans in Training (FFIT) the SPFL Trust’s flagship health and wellbeing programme which takes place at football clubs across the country, helping people to get active and feel fitter, healthier and happier.
Working together with experts from Prostate Scotland, the University of Glasgow Health and Wellbeing Institute and The Exercise Clinic, as well as clinicians and men living with prostate cancer, the programme has been developed based on clinical guidelines for men living with prostate cancer, which recommend a structured 12-week exercise programme. The courses will be led by professional coaches who have specialist cancer exercise course qualifications.
The courses are free of charge to men living with prostate cancer. As well as getting the opportunity to take part in exercise supported by trained coaches, participants will learn more about nutrition. They will also receive a personal workbook to help them follow the course and have access to specifically developed videos to continue exercise at home.
It is aimed in the future to roll out Prostate FFIT to further clubs across Scotland and to have a course in each of the five cancer treatment areas in Scotland
Prostate Scotland Director Adam Gaines said: “Research and clinical guidelines show the importance of exercise for men with prostate cancer. This new and innovative exercise programme is aimed at helping towards tackling the impact prostate cancer can have on the lives of men living with prostate cancer, especially for those on hormone therapy.
“The benefit of Prostate FFIT courses, offered in professional football clubs, is in providing engaging, beneficial and helpful exercise and healthy lifestyle courses in line with clinical guidelines. There are too few specialist exercise courses for men with prostate cancer in Scotland. We aim to close that gap.”
SPFL Trust CEO Nicky Reid said: “Football Fans in Training is our flagship health and wellbeing programme, with over 7,000 people completing the initiative over the last 12 years.
“In this time we’ve learnt that a key strength of the programme is the environment – the familiarity of a football club can go a long way in encouraging people to take that first step.
‘We are delighted to have been able to work with partners to tailor FFIT for men living with prostate cancer. Exercise is such an important part of their treatment, and we feel privileged to be a small part of their journey.
Alan Dickinson (72), a retired financial services manager who lives in Peebles in the Scottish Borders said: “I joined a cancer-specific exercise course. It made a real difference to my outlook in relation to my treatment, as well as eliminating feelings of fatigue that in turn motivated me to remain positive and forward looking. It was a really welcoming group, perhaps because we all had prostate conditions in common and I would encourage anyone with a diagnosis to get involved.”
As well as getting the opportunity to take part in exercise supported by trained coaches, participants will learn more about nutrition. They will also receive a personal workbook to help them follow the course and have access to specifically developed videos to continue exercise at home.
Prostate FFIT will enable men on the course with prostate cancer to take part in a shared endeavour and meet others in a similar situation.
If you would like to register to take part please go to spfltrust.org.uk/prostate-ffit
For more information about Prostate FFIT, visit: Train like a pro at Ibrox and Tynecastle!
