Our mission at Team Survivor Northwest is to provide a broad range
of fitness and health education programs to enable women cancer survivors,
in any stage of treatment or recovery and at any fitness level,
to take an active role
in their ongoing physical and emotional healing.
We believe in the power of fitness to improve women’s lives after a cancer diagnosis. Our belief is backed by research, science, and women who have walked through our doors. Fitness and an active lifestyle not only improve outcomes but empower women survivors to feel better and thrive.
Inclusion
We serve all women, without regard to race, age, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, physical or mental disability, or religion, with any type of cancer diagnosis, at any fitness and skill level.
Access
Our programs are free of charge to TSNW Members. Programs are offered in various locations within the Puget Sound Region.
Quality
All our instructors are experienced trainers with understanding of cancer specific needs. Program delivery is mindful of the physical and emotional sensitivities surrounding cancer.
Education
We continually share with our community, through a variety of methods, important and emerging information related to cancer survivorship.
Our History
In 1995, a group of women cancer survivors in Seattle decided to train for a triathlon. They asked Dr. Julie Gralow, a local oncologist, to serve as their team physician. During the training process, Dr. Gralow was both inspired by the tenacity and strength of these women and amazed at the physical and psychological benefits that the women gained through training.
Engaging in regular physical activity is the single most valuable thing a cancer survivor can do torebuild both physical and emotional strength.
– Dr. Julie Gralow
Dr. Gralow continued to meet women cancer survivors looking for fun, interesting ways to improve their overall fitness. To teach women cancer survivors how to use exercise for physical and emotional recovery, she partnered with Lisa Talbott, a fitness and therapeutic exercise specialist, to found Team Survivor Northwest (TSNW). Today, TSNW is a national organization with affiliates around the country and offers year-round fitness opportunities for all women cancer survivors.
Why focus only on women?
Recovering from cancer is a fragile time in a person’s life. Chemo, radiation and other cancer treatments wreak havoc on the body resulting in altered physical appearance as well as decreased stamina and strength. Combined, these often leave survivors feeling vulnerable. We’ve found that women are much more inclined to show up and participate in fitness programs with other women who have been through similar body changes and experiences. This decision was not designed to be exclusive, but to ensure that women cancer survivors feel welcomed and safe during this fragile time in their life.
Thousands of women cancer survivors have participated in TSNW’s free fitness and health education programs. Team Survivor Northwest programs are open to all women with a past or present diagnosis of cancer. Members range in age from twenty to eighty. Participants are as varied as the activities they enjoy, but they are all bound by the common desire to take an active role in their physical and emotional well-being.
No sign up is required. Simply join TSNW as a member and show up for the class. Our instructors will assess your health and fitness levels to help you reap the benefits of exercise. The focus is on building strength and boosting your energy while enjoying the camaraderie of other women in a supportive environment. These exercise classes are drop-in and year-round.
Women of all fitness levels are encouraged to join these certified-instructor-led classes designed especially for cancer survivors. All instructors are educated and experienced in the special needs of working with the cancer community. This is a safe space to join other women who are undergoing treatment or regaining and maintaining strength post-treatment.
Hiking is the perfect exercise for cancer survivors combining fresh air, vigorous physical activity and camaraderie. Our midweek hikes begin in April, starting out with more gentle trails and becoming more vigorous as the season progresses. Introduction to Hiking walks take place on four different Saturdays a year and are the perfect introduction to the mountains.
If you are new or returning to hiking, this program will get you started and on your way to better health. There is nothing like being part of a group to help motivate you! What we do? We walk, we talk, we explore the parks and neighborhoods of the greater Seattle area, the East side and Mercer Island. We meet at various locations, hike 3-4 miles and try to get our heart rates up. Plan on up to 2 hours. This is the perfect exercise for cancer survivors who have recently undergone treatment as well as those ten and twenty years out.
Nordic walking is a great fitness workout for people who are looking for a fun physical activity, convenience and camaraderie. Despite its name, it is not just for those who like to walk, run, or hike. It is for anyone who enjoys activities with highly rhythmic, flowing, powerful movements. Nordic Walking is the perfect exercise for cancer survivors just getting back into fitness after a long absence.
Pilates is a form of conditioning that builds strength and flexibility with a strong focus on alignment, breath, and mindfulness. Each week, we’ll use traditional Pilates apparatus (arc barrel and reformer) and other fitness tools (suspension ropes, BOSU® and ball) to provide a full body workout. Each class will consist of three 20 minute segments on a different pieces of equipment so there will be variety each week.
Each year, Team Survivor Northwest prepares women to participate in local triathlons, one of the many wonderful exercise programs for cancer survivors we offer. For many of our members, this is their first time doing a triathlon! This fun and empowering program trains women to swim 0.5 miles, cycle 12.4 miles, run or walk 3.1 miles, and make efficient transitions.
200 NE Pacific St. # 101
Seattle Washington 98105
206 732 8350
https://teamsurvivornw.org
Executive Director
Jennefer Boyer, MPH
[email protected]
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