Hope for new breast cancer patient gym

The university’s funding for a gym serving breast cancer patients and survivors may be ending,...
The university’s funding for a gym serving breast cancer patients and survivors may be ending, but there is hope for the gym to be relocated and operated as a not-for-profit, Associate Prof Lynnette Jones says. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON.
Despite disappointment about the upcoming closure of a gym for breast cancer patients and survivors, the founder of the gym is thrilled the Dunedin community is stepping up to help find a possible new venture.

For just over 12 years, the ExPinkt exercise training programme, a name which combines the ‘‘Ex’’ and ‘‘T’’ of exercise training with ‘‘Pink’’, the international symbol of breast cancer awareness, has been running at the University of Otago School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences gymnasium.

The programme was established by Associate Prof Lynnette Jones in 2009.

Since that time, the gym provided hundreds of people with training and physical exercise programmes, as well as given students the opportunity to work with cancer survivors in a therapeutic exercise setting.

However, the university recently confirmed the imminent retirement of Prof Jones, coupled with financial challenges resulting from Covid-19, meant the gymnasium would be closed.

‘‘I’ve been grateful for the support that I’ve received from the university over the 12 years the programme has been running, but the closure of the clinic was extremely disappointing not only for me, but particularly for the current clients and potential future clients,’’ Prof Jones said yesterday.

‘‘However, I am quite excited about a possible new venture.’’

In response to the news of the imminent closure, several Dunedin local people, many of whom had no previous affiliation to the gymnasium, had approached Prof Jones to help relocate the gym into a community setting.

The group was working on a campaign to raise awareness, find a Dunedin location suitable for a gymnasium and fund new equipment.

If the project came to completion, it would be run as a not-for-profit, rather than being affiliated with a university.

‘‘If it doesn’t work out, it won’t be for want of trying,’’ Prof Jones said.

‘‘I’ve been amazed and humbled by the people who have emerged from the community to help.

‘‘It’s blown me away.’’

courtney.white@odt.co.nz

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