You are more than your cancer diagnosis
Your quality of life matters before, during and after your cancer treatment
Hi, I'm Beth.
I empower people diagnosed with cancer with knowledge, tools and confidence so they can do more than just survive a disease.
I am the founder of the online Cancer Rehab Space. I am a cancer rehab physiotherapist. An educator. An advocate. A “previvor”. A daughter of a mother who was diagnosed with cancer at a young age. I have dedicated my career to enhancing the quality of life of individuals diagnosed with cancer with cancer rehab physio.
Changing The Status Quo
There were no courses for cancer rehab when I graduated from physiotherapy school in 2005. So I taught myself. I read every research article I could and pursued more education, with the intention of applying it to the cancer population. Advanced Orthopedics. Myofascial Release. Pelvic Health. Pain Science. Mindfulness. The science of the body-mind connection.
Now it is my passion to share my cancer rehab physio experience with you. If you have been diagnosed with cancer, please know that you hold tremendous power to support your own healing path. If you are someone who works with people diagnosed with cancer, adopting a whole-person (or biopsychosocial) approach is essential.
Come join me… Because your quality of life matters!
What is “Whole-Person Support?”
I see so many people trapped in “survival mode” during cancer treatment. Life becomes so laser-focused on the cancer cells, that “the person” is often left behind to “suck it up” and “push through” at all cost.
But it is my experience that our wellbeing extends far beyond the physical, and there’s a growing body of science showing that our health doesn’t thrive when our nervous system is in long-term “survival mode.” You need to nurture your whole self during cancer treatment and beyond to promote your healing and wellbeing in body, mind and heart.
This is why I have created a whole-person approach for my cancer rehab and support services. No matter how you choose to interact with me, you will see the following 4 components woven into my approach.
When Can Whole-Person Support Help You?
Though you may not have a choice about whether or not you develop cancer, you DO have a choice about the role you get to play as your story unfolds.
Being diagnosed with cancer is an overwhelming time (to say the least.) I have heard so many of you describe it as an “out of body” experience. There is so much information to absorb, questions to ask, and emotions to process…. Frequently in a very short period of time.
Your nervous system may be “frozen” in a state of shock at the beginning, which is completely normal when facing this kind of news. But as this new reality begins to set in, you may begin to feel overwhelmed, unprepared and powerless.
Seeking whole-person support during this time, from a trusted source, can help make your upcoming path a little more predictable, offer you concrete self-care/preparation strategies, and leave you feeling more empowered.
Your path for the next few months may feel more clear; you have a treatment plan in place and you are going through treatment. But often the treatments themselves can make you feel sicker than the time when you were first diagnosed.
This is a tough time… You’re trying to cope with your treatment side effects. You feel like everything revolves around “the cancer” and you have little energy to do anything else. You feel like you have to “push through” or “suck it up” just to get through this time. You’re in “survival mode.”
But it’s ok to want more.
It is possible to take small steps to feel more ease, more energy and more empowered. Whole-person support can help you understand what’s going in your body (and why) and help you build your unique self-care toolbox to care for your whole self during treatment (in body, mind and heart.) You are more than just your cancer and the quality of each and every day still matters.
You’ve made it through your “intensive” treatment. You may be taking ongoing medication, but the appointments slow down (or are done altogether). You may have even been told you’re “cancer-free.” But you’ve got this pit in your stomach…… now what?
So many of you say that this is the hardest part. You’ve gone from constant appointments and medical attention to feeling like you’re on your own. Your treatments are done, but you’re left coping with the physical and emotional aftermath (sometimes even years later.) Your recovery feels far from over.
Whole-person support during this stage can help you take positive steps to manage, improve and even overcome the ongoing impacts of your treatments. You can build further self-care tools for your toolbox to help you on your path to feeling more like yourself again. You can navigate this from a place of self-compassion, self-discovery and confidence as you explore what “life after treatment” will look like for you.
Ongoing treatments and medical appointments are your reality. I’ve heard so many of you describe the fear associated with facing dauting odds and so much uncertainty. You may be exhausted from all of the researching and advocating for yourself. Your experience is uniquely yours, but there is a common thread…. you appreciate how truly precious your time is.
Whole-person support while living with metastatic cancer helps you focus on what you can control/manage and helps you create more space for what matters. Investing in regular self-care strategies helps you feel more ease, more energy and more empowered. In turn, this leaves you with more energy to be truly present in other areas of your life that matter to you most.
A personal Connection
My passion for working in cancer rehabilitation stems from having grown up with a mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age.
I was inspired by her view of metastatic cancer as a chronic illness and by her conscious effort to create a more balanced and healthy lifestyle in all aspects of her life.
How to Work with Me
The Online Cancer Rehab Space
Learn how to care for your whole self, at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home. The Cancer Rehab Space offers online webinars and recovery programs to support your recovery.
One-on-one Physiotherapy
Whether it be virtually or in-person, your appointments will be booked specifically with me (Beth Hoag). Treatments are personalized to your specific needs to improve your wellbeing and quality of life.
Speaking Engagements & Workshops
I offer educational workshops and speaking engagements about cancer rehab physio and recovery to
small groups for non-profit organizations, community support groups, health and wellness professionals.
Mentoring for Healthcare Providers
Looking for help with how to support one of your clients? I offer mentoring for healthcare providers such as Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Naturopaths and other practictioners.
