"A diagnosis of cancer comes with incredible stress. Exercise can reduce some of the negative side effects that accompanies stressful situations. The 2012 American College of Sports Medicine Roundtable concluded that exercise improves cancer related fatigue, quality of life, physical functioning, and physical fitness. I have created an infographic about how to incorporate aerobic exercise into daily life as well as three strength training programs that patients can utilize based on their level of functionality. This exercise program can be easily incorporated into daily life. These exercises can be done in short sessions while performing various chores around the house, reaching up to 30 minutes per day or 150 minutes per week. This program will be distributed as a pamphlet accompanied by a video of the exercises demonstrated by my grandmother, a breast cancer survivor. This project will impact cancer patients and survivors in a portion of the St. Louis community.

The exercise program will be distributed to residents at Hope Lodge in St. Louis and it will be placed permanently in the gym for patient use. Hope Lodge is a “home away from home” for cancer patients and their caregivers that are receiving treatment at a hospital that is too far from their home for a daily commute.

Finally in collaboration with the Siteman Cancer Center, this exercise program will be distributed digitally to a community of about 400 women in St. Louis that have survived or are currently battling breast cancer. "

Alex would like to thank her faculty sponsor Dr. Kim Levenhagen for her support and encouragement on this project.