A pilot yoga teacher training course for instructors teaching individuals coping with cancer in general and gynecologic cancer in particular, has garnered great success, and will become a regular course starting this school year.
Photo: Shira Nahaloni Gliksberg and Sigal Bieber
Miri Ziv, ICA Director General, explained that: "Scientific research studies conducted worldwide have proven that patients who take part in yoga activity report that it has indeed been beneficial for them. We know that moderate physical activity has a direct impact on cancer survivorship, and that it has inherent potential to significantly contribute to patients' quality of life and wellbeing. Moreover, it is effective in reducing fatigue and exhaustion, which are side effects of cancer in general and radiotherapy in particular. Physical activity could also potentially relieve tension and stimulate appetite, which is crucial for cancer patients. We recommend that breast cancer patients, and other cancer patients, engage in physical activity and participate in yoga workshops held at ICA "Strong Together" Support Centers.
Shlomo Ben-Gal, Director General of The Academic College at Wingate, said: "We are happy to say that the yoga teacher training pilot for instructors teaching individuals coping with breast cancer, met with huge success last year. Consequently, we have decided to continue holding this course at the Institute this year as well, in the hopes that awareness of the importance of this subject will steadily increase. As has been proven many times in the past, physical activity makes it easier to cope with difficult diseases, including cancer. Many research studies in Israel and around the globe have proven that physical activity is not only important for the physical rehabilitation of these patients, but also for their emotional healing. When our lecturers at the College teach the future generation of sports educators in Israel, they take both of these aspects into account".
The course instructors, Shira Nahaloni Gliksberg and Sigal Bieber, have created this course based on their own personal experience. Shira discovered that she had the disease when she was 10 weeks pregnant. Contrary to the recommendations of her physicians, she continued with her pregnancy while receiving chemotherapy treatments; an ongoing and unique exercise that she developed helped her support herself emotionally. Signal first encountered yoga while her second son was dying. Her struggle with the disease and her son's death led her to delve into this exercise in order to rehabilitate herself and her family. When she was diagnosed with the disease years later, she was equipped with yoga tools to help herself cope with treatments and, in turn, accompany and instruct other women coping with the disease.
To register for this course please email Shira or Sigal at:
vijnana.shira@gmail.com
sigal.beiber@gmail.com