In 2012, the Pearls Foundation for Women partnered
with the Army of Women/Avon Foundation for Women (Love/Avon) to promote breast
cancer awareness and breast cancer research studies. In 2013, moving forward, we
will take our partnership into the communities with breast cancer screenings.
Beat
Cancer Research Study
We need women ages 19-70 in East Central Illinois or the
Birmingham, Alabama area, diagnosed with Stage 0 (DCIS), I, II, or IIIa breast
cancer at some point in their lives. This study is evaluating the effectiveness
of the BEAT Cancer program for breast cancer survivors. The research team will
compare the effects of the intervention to usual care (written materials about
exercise for cancer survivors) on short- and longer-term physical activity
adherence among breast cancer survivors.
Researcher Edward
McAuley, PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL and Laura
Rogers, MD, MPH, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
Study Summary This study is evaluating the
effectiveness of the BEAT Cancer program for breast cancer survivors. The
research team will compare the effects of the intervention to usual care
(written materials about exercise for cancer survivors) on short- and
longer-term physical activity adherence among breast cancer survivors.
Who Can Participate? You can join
the BEAT Cancer Study if you match ALL of these MAIN categories:
• You are a woman between 19 and 70 years old
• You have been diagnosed with Stage 0 (DCIS), I, II, or IIIa breast cancer at some point in your life
• You are NOT currently receiving (and do not plan to receive during the study) chemotherapy or radiation therapy (it is OK if you are taking longer term therapies such as aromatase inhibitors, estrogen receptor modulators, etc.)
• You have NOT been exercising, on average, more than 60 minutes per week at a moderate intensity or 30 minutes per week at a vigorous intensity for the past six months
• You are physically able to walk
• You do NOT have a diagnosis of dementia or organic brain syndrome
• You agree to allow study staff to request and obtain medical clearance for study participation from your primary care physician or oncologist
• You speak English
• You live near or are willing to travel (at your own expense) to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Urbana, IL OR University of Alabama at Birmingham
After you RSVP, the researcher will ask you additional questions to be sure that this study is a right fit for you.
• You are a woman between 19 and 70 years old
• You have been diagnosed with Stage 0 (DCIS), I, II, or IIIa breast cancer at some point in your life
• You are NOT currently receiving (and do not plan to receive during the study) chemotherapy or radiation therapy (it is OK if you are taking longer term therapies such as aromatase inhibitors, estrogen receptor modulators, etc.)
• You have NOT been exercising, on average, more than 60 minutes per week at a moderate intensity or 30 minutes per week at a vigorous intensity for the past six months
• You are physically able to walk
• You do NOT have a diagnosis of dementia or organic brain syndrome
• You agree to allow study staff to request and obtain medical clearance for study participation from your primary care physician or oncologist
• You speak English
• You live near or are willing to travel (at your own expense) to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Urbana, IL OR University of Alabama at Birmingham
After you RSVP, the researcher will ask you additional questions to be sure that this study is a right fit for you.
What Does Participation Involve? If you agree
to participate in the BEAT Cancer Study you will be contacted by phone to
answer questions about your breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, medical
history, and physical activity history. If you are eligible, and if you decide
to join the study, you will then be randomly assigned (like the flip of a coin)
to one of two groups.
If you are assigned to Group A, the intervention study group, you:
• Will be asked to go to the study site to participate in 12 individual exercise sessions with an exercise specialist. The sessions will include stretching exercises and an aerobic component, such as treadmill walking.
• Will be asked to go to the study site to attend six discussion group sessions with a professional counselor. These meetings will occur in the early evenings on a weekday.
• Will be asked to go to the study site to attend three face-to-face counseling update sessions with an exercise specialist after you have completed the 12 exercise sessions.
• Will be asked to perform unsupervised exercise at home.
• Will receive written materials about exercise for cancer survivors.
• Will complete assessments at four time points: before you begin the BEAT Cancer program; after month 3; after month 6; and after month 12. The assessment panels include: a treadmill test; muscle strength test; measurement of your height, weight, waist, and hips; completion of questionnaires; a three-day diet record; wearing a motion sensor for seven days and nights [this small device (similar to a pedometer) measures your activity and is worn around your waist]; and recording the times you go to and get up from bed during the seven days you wear the motion sensor.
If you are assigned to Group B, the usual care group, you:
• Will receive written materials about exercise for cancer survivors.
• Will complete assessments at four time points: before you begin the program; after month 3; after month 6; and after month 12. The assessment panels include: a treadmill test; muscle strength test; measurement of your height, weight, waist, and hips; completion of questionnaires; a three-day diet record; wearing a motion sensor for seven days and nights [this small device (similar to a pedometer) measures your activity and is worn around your waist]; and recording the times you go to and get up from bed during the seven days you wear the motion sensor.
• Will receive the option of receiving tailored exercise recommendations and three individual sessions with an exercise specialist up to 3 months after the completion of the program.
The researchers need to enroll up to 256 women in this study.
If you are assigned to Group A, the intervention study group, you:
• Will be asked to go to the study site to participate in 12 individual exercise sessions with an exercise specialist. The sessions will include stretching exercises and an aerobic component, such as treadmill walking.
• Will be asked to go to the study site to attend six discussion group sessions with a professional counselor. These meetings will occur in the early evenings on a weekday.
• Will be asked to go to the study site to attend three face-to-face counseling update sessions with an exercise specialist after you have completed the 12 exercise sessions.
• Will be asked to perform unsupervised exercise at home.
• Will receive written materials about exercise for cancer survivors.
• Will complete assessments at four time points: before you begin the BEAT Cancer program; after month 3; after month 6; and after month 12. The assessment panels include: a treadmill test; muscle strength test; measurement of your height, weight, waist, and hips; completion of questionnaires; a three-day diet record; wearing a motion sensor for seven days and nights [this small device (similar to a pedometer) measures your activity and is worn around your waist]; and recording the times you go to and get up from bed during the seven days you wear the motion sensor.
If you are assigned to Group B, the usual care group, you:
• Will receive written materials about exercise for cancer survivors.
• Will complete assessments at four time points: before you begin the program; after month 3; after month 6; and after month 12. The assessment panels include: a treadmill test; muscle strength test; measurement of your height, weight, waist, and hips; completion of questionnaires; a three-day diet record; wearing a motion sensor for seven days and nights [this small device (similar to a pedometer) measures your activity and is worn around your waist]; and recording the times you go to and get up from bed during the seven days you wear the motion sensor.
• Will receive the option of receiving tailored exercise recommendations and three individual sessions with an exercise specialist up to 3 months after the completion of the program.
The researchers need to enroll up to 256 women in this study.
Where? University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL and University of Alabama at Birmingham
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| Sonya Y. Young, CEO & Founder |
Sonya Y. Young, AS, BA, MBA is a CEO,
Entrepreneur & Editor of Sonya Young & Co.-PR & Marketing Boutique
and the Pearls Foundation for Women & Girls, a health education prevention
awareness organization. Sonya is a contributor blogger for the Army of
Women/Avon Foundation for Women for breast cancer research and writes book
reviews for Bethany Christian House Publishing and a Marketing Professor.
She writes for Examiner.Com, as the Atlanta Non-Profit Business & Finance Writer. Former Newspaper Editor, Director of Corporate Communications and Director of
Consumer Marketing.
Hi there Sonya! I was just reading up on a few of your posts and had a quick question about your blog. I was hoping you could email me when you get the chance, thanks!
ReplyDeleteEmily