Wellness

Your wellness journey begins here!

We invite you to enter the relaxed, peaceful and home-like setting of the Hope & Cope Cancer Wellness Centre. It is here that you will discover many diverse programs and activities that will help you live well with and beyond cancer.

The Wellness Centre is managed by Hope & Cope staff with the assistance of cancer-experienced volunteers. Course instructors and specialists graciously donate their time and expertise to help develop and teach a variety of classes and programs.

Membership is open to anyone who is currently undergoing treatment or who is up to 2 years post-diagnosis. Give us just 1 hour of your time and we’ll get you started on your personal path to wellness! Click here for more information about membership criteria and to download and print the forms.

Rehab & Exercise

Setting you on the path to wellness

Exercise is one of the best things you can do to feel stronger, more energetic and more positive both during and after cancer treatment. Our unique Cancer Rehabilitation and Exercise Program is designed to help you regain as much strength, balance and flexibility as possible and to cope with some of the side effects of treatment such as fatigue, nausea, swelling, pain and reduced physical function.

Our physiotherapist and exercise physiologist will provide you with a careful assessment and a personalized exercise plan that can be completed at home or in our fully equipped gym. The gym is supervised by volunteers, under the guidance of the Cancer Exercise and Rehabilitation Program team.

We also offer a wide range of activities in our bright and airy yoga studio. These include yoga, tai chi, qi gong, dance classes and more!

Our team will be happy to recommend activities that are safe and right for you. Registration and a complete physical evaluation are mandatory. For more information, please contact our Exercise Program Coordinator Anh Thy Le Quang at 514-340-3616, ext. 212, or write to anh.thy.lequang.ccomtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca.

Nutrition

Eating well as part of a healthy lifestyle

Has your appetite been affected by cancer treatment? Are you confused by all the conflicting reports about which foods are good for you and which should be avoided? Do you want to try recipes that are easy to make, nutritious and delicious?

Our Nutrition Program, developed by an experienced cancer dietitian, includes:

• Healthy cooking – Weekly classes in the Wellness Centre’s fully equipped demonstration kitchen
• Lectures on specific cancer nutrition topics (e.g. Basic Nutrition for Cancer Patients)

These programs are partially sponsored by Abbott Nutrition.

Stress Reduction

Exploring the Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

If you have cancer, or are caring for someone who has been diagnosed, you may feel as if your thoughts and your life are spinning out of control.

We offer several programs that help reduce stress. These include classes in meditation, relaxation and visualization – techniques that are easy to learn and to incorporate into your day – as well as healing touch, reiki and massage. Our monthly laughter workshops are another great stress reliever, releasing those feel-good endorphins and giving you a surprisingly good workout at the same time.

Our specially designed The Art of Coping program is a highly effective four-part workshop that will provide you with practical strategies for coping not just with cancer, but also with everyday stress. You will even have the opportunity to practice the skills you learn. Topics include:

• Reframing negative thoughts
• Problem-solving
• Goal-setting
• Stress management

The program is held monthly, with one-day workshops and refresher courses offered a few times per year.

To register, please call 514 340-8222, ext. 25531.

Creative Arts

Creative expression – whether it involves art therapy, painting, jewellery-making, writing, singing in a choir, or a combination of these activities – can be a revealing way of coming to terms with the complicated feelings, thoughts and emotions that often accompany the cancer experience.

We invite you to explore our creative art programs. Classes, taught by volunteer instructors who create a welcoming, non-judgmental environment, include:

Open Art Studio – painting, drawing, collages and more…

Voices of Hope Choir – share the magic and joy of raising your voice in song together with other cancer survivors. Rehearsals are held weekly, in preparation for two annual concerts in June and December.

Jewellery 101 and Just Gems – Learn to make your own bracelets and necklaces. There is a small charge for materials.

Knitting – learn the basics or take our intermediate level class and you’ll understand why so many people find knitting to be such a pleasant and relaxing pastime.