The study, run by Dr David Burke from the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research (PGJCCR), has been co-designed alongside patients for patients and offers a three month programme of weekly coaching sessions. These individualised sessions are designed to increase participants’ muscle mass and strength with the aim of improving quality of life, reducing side effects of chemotherapy and exploring other meaningful outcomes.

“I’m so grateful for the time given by patients to share their lived experience to develop and guide our intervention now being piloted in the FACILITATE study,” said Dr Burke. “Physical activity and nutrition support can benefit everyone going through cancer treatments. We hope to show that this support is possible and beneficial in the setting of advanced bowel cancer, and to help facilitate people to have a more active role in their own cancer care.”

 

One of the study’s Patient Co-Researchers, Ed, described it as a “groundbreaking initiative by Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) to help and encourage patients treated for metastatic bowel cancer to undertake a practical exercise program in order to assist recovery and improve their quality of life.”

Face-to-face sessions with a physical activity and nutrition coach allows participants to set goals and receive support for improving their exercise habits and nutritional intake at home. The study, which is open to those who are starting their anticancer treatment for bowel cancer in the Belfast Trust, also provides signposting for further support around diet and exercise after the 12 week programme is finished.

Dr Burke, who is a trainee cancer doctor with lived experience of cancer himself, is passionate about improving the quality of life of people going through anticancer treatments. Support from the Belfast Trust and QUB has helped him in the early stages of his academic career as he works alongside patients and scientists to develop new research into supportive care in cancer.

Working so closely with patients has meant that those with personal experience of cancer treatment are able to act as co-designers of the study. These patient co-researchers are part of the Northern Ireland Cancer Research Consumer Forum (NICRCF) which is a body that patients and their loved ones can join to ensure the patient voice remains an integral part of local cancer research.

Ann, a Patient Co-Researcher, told us: “As a patient living with advanced cancer and having personally benefited from the on-line Safefit research which studied exercise and cancer, I'm delighted see this in-person study launched here in Belfast which will specifically focus on stage 4 colorectal cancer and will cover both exercise and nutrition elements."

FACILITATE has been funded by the Belfast Trust Charitable Research Fund and is supported by the Northern Ireland Cancer Trials Network (NICTN). The study is now open to recruitment for people starting their anticancer treatment for bowel cancer in the Belfast Trust. More details can be found here.