pcpep.org

Prostate Cancer Patient EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM

If you have another form of cancer please visit CancerPEP.org

PC-PEP is a 6-month home-based comprehensive health-promotion program for men with a diagnosis of Prostate Cancer.

Daily emails and videos over 6 months will focus on various health promoting
components to reduce side effects and optimize your post treatment recovery,
including:

Physical Exercise – daily aerobic activity encouragement and a prescribed twice per week strength training workout developed by a Certified Exercise Physiologist

Pelvic Floor Exercises – a progressively more challenging set of exercises and instruction from a Urodynamics Nurse and
Physiotherapist to help you regain your urinary continence sooner

Stress Reduction and Relaxation – daily mindfulness breathing and self-regulation techniques along with a provided biofeedback heart rate monitor to improve your ability to adapt to stress

Nutrition – healthy tips and recommendations to better your diet
and eating habits

Relationships and Connections – teachings and encouragement to experience greater intimacy with others in your life

Optional Social Supports
Be connected with and call other men in the program. Join a monthly online support group with other men in the program and prostate cancer survivors who have been through treatment

Watch this video to learn more about PC-PEP:

PCPEP.org introduction

“When I previously had prostate surgery, and didn’t have any support, or program as a guide, I felt very alone and very unsure what was going to happen to me and how my life is going to be affected by all this. This time around when I was about to undergo radiation and hormone therapy, I was unsure what was about to take place and side effects that went along with both. When I was enrolled in this program and discovered what it was all about, it was a relief to know I had expert guidance, mentors, and buddies to be matched with. I was looking forward to the procedure, and getting on with life knowing there was support I could count on if needed. The insight of the mentors was helpful to me, as I chose the ones who had been through what I was about to go through, and it was good to know what to expect from the treatments and side effects from someone who actually had been through it. The videos you provided along the way, the dietary advice, the mediation, exercises, (I didn’t know there was so many different Kegels to do), all certainly helped tremendously. Every part of the program brought intimacy into the daily life of my wife and I, in many ways. It is reassuring to know that there are still health professionals out there that care enough to give their time and expertise to put a program like this together, and hopefully others can benefit from all the work you do.” PC-PEP patient and mentor

Who is Eligible for PCPEP

PC-PEP is being offered as part of a research study to men who have had a prostate
cancer diagnosis and meet the following criteria:

Are safe to exercise and do strength training
Have access to email and internet daily
Are able to watch videos and willing to follow the program for 6 months
Have a life expectancy of 2 years or more
Willing to take 4 on-line surveys over two years as part of the trial

How to Get Started

Before you start the program, consider if it is safe for you to do aerobic and strength exercise. Aerobic Exercise includes walking at a moderate rate, and includes many other activities which raises your heart rate and gets you to breathe harder. Watch the video below and consider if you could do all of these exercises (each of them for at least a few seconds) without causing yourself problems. If you’re having problems with this step please contact our research coordinator by filling out the form below or calling.

When discussing your eligibility for the program, a staff member will ask you questions about your medical history to determine if it is safe for you to participate.

They will ask the following questions from the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire:

Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition OR high blood pressure?
Do you feel pain in your chest at rest, during your daily activities of living OR when you do physical activity?
Do you lose balance because of dizziness OR have you lost consciousness in the past 12 months?
Have you ever been diagnosed with another chronic medical condition?
Are you currently taking prescribed medications for a chronic medical condition?
Do you currently have (or have had in the past 12 months) a bone, joint, soft tissue (muscle, ligament or tendon) problem that could be made worse by becoming more physically active?
Has your doctor ever said that you should only do medically supervised physical activity?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you may need to receive approval from a physician or qualified exercise professional before starting the program. A staff member can explain this to you and help you receive approval if needed. If you require any modifications to the exercises, our exercise trainers can work with you to adapt the workouts to your specific needs and limitations.