Friends go the distance

Trainer Jarrod Borg, Anita Gorrie, Gay Pearce, Rita Cini, Elsa Pagniello, Aysen Ogutveren and Debbie Woods. (Luke Hemer)

By Tate Papworth

A BreastWest program that supports patients going through a breast cancer diagnosis is having lasting benefits.

The Sunshine Hospital program, which supports patients on their journey, is funded through donations and has a large focus on health and fitness.

Patients are assigned to a 12-week program at EFM gyms to help support their recovery.

Debbi Woods was one of the first people to take part in the program and said it’s been a massive help.

“I started in October 2015 just one day a week. By the end of it, four of us wanted to keep going so asked if we could,” she said

“We’ve been going ever since and expanded to two days. Along the way we ask each new person who’s come in if they’d like to join us.

“We’re up to about eight people now, some have come and gone with things like work commitments coming up.”

Ms Woods said the friendships formed at the program were the most rewarding part.

“Being in the group is great … we’ve all got on very well,” she said.

“They’re natural friendships. We get together and have coffee afterwards. We go out for dinner at Christmas together.

“We’ve become like a little family. We help each other out when we’ve got problems.”