My experience of using Maggie’s and Move More

Ron Kerr

A little about me….Ron Kerr

74 Years old single

Retired Housing Officer

Bowel Cancer – surgery and chemo

“…ironically the chemo ward was such a laugh”

“..the ward staff’s remit must be humour”

My experience during and after treatment

Maggie’s• Where Now? – the Maggie’s Living Beyond Cancer Course

• Healthy Eating Course

• Mindfulness

Move More Dundee – referred by MacMillan Nurse

• Gym-based physical activity

• Walking Groups starting from the Maggie’s Centre and a local landmark

Someone Alongside• Karen, Hazel and Jackie

Where Now?

Where Now?Maggie’s Course for people taking a fresh look at life after treatment

What happens• Exercise each week led by personal trainer• Group discussion led by an expert

• Eating well• Living with less stress• Talking to and being a partner with your medical team • Managing long term side effects • Possible post treatment problems (e.g. returning to work, relationships, changes

to your body)

What I gained• Covered all the important information I needed at that time• Got me back into regular exercise but in safe way• Realised it wasn’t ‘just me’ …I was normal• Good group – everyone joined in

Healthy Eating Course

Healthy Eating CourseMaggie’s Course about healthy eating during and after cancer treatment

What happens• Dietitian gives information about healthy eating in small group• Show you how to cook affordable recipes• Try out new foods or different combinations• Information about losing or putting on weight

What I gained

• Information and confidence to try out new recipes…ones I still use (e.g. brown rice salad)

• Dismiss false facts…like “…just how healthy is a fresh fruit drink?”

• Beetroot and the red alert!

Mindfulness Course

Mindfulness CourseMaggie’s Course to help cope with stress, pain and uncertainty

What happens• Psychologist leads weekly group• Learn about mindfulness and the ways it helps you look at life differently so you are

less stressed and more able to cope with things like uncertainty and pain• Teach simple meditations (..that don’t feel weird and helps you be kinder to yourself!)

What I gained• Really important during my chemo stage when during the night my mind went to dark

places…the body scan meditation helped me get back to sleep• …”Bit sceptical at first but really impressed with what it covered”

Move More Dundee

Move More Dundee

Someone Alongside

Someone alongside

Thank you!...any questions?