How I got into the program

In the middle of October of 2010 I learned of a Breast Cancer Beta Fitness study that was looking for participants when I was sent an email by a friend. Because my mother had breast cancer and also a friend I was interested in seeing if I qualified for the study. The same evening went to the website for the study and then email and called their office and left a message. The next day on Global Calgary News Hour there was a news item detailing the study.

By the end of middle of November I was invited to an information session at the Tom Baker Cancer Center in Calgary about the study to find out more to see if I was still interested. As they explained the requirements of the exercise commitment I wondered if I would be able to do it but thought I should at least give it a try. I was nervous but excited that I might be able to participate in a study that would make a difference in a devastating illness.

The coordinator of the program explained that if I was going to participate in the study that I would have to commit to being randomly selected to being assigned to an exercise program that was either 30 or 60 minutes per day. Three days per week I would have to attend the Westside fitness centre and meet with a fitness trainer and then two days I week I would have to work on my own at the fitness centre or somewhere else. That evening we had several forms to complete in order to continue and they took one full hour to complete. We also had forms to take home and complete and return.

The next part of the journey was to book an appointment to attend the Tom Baker Cancer Centre to have blood drawn. That was easy. You sit and they remove the vials for their study. A couple of days after the blood draw I contact the coordinator to see if I was able to continue and she yes, that I was healthy and could continue to the next step.

The next step was to take place on Dec 16 where I would have to do a fitness treadmill test, weight, height, waist and hip measurements. Unfortunately that day when I woke up I had laryngitis and I went to the appointment because I was unable to cancel it and they said that it was not a good idea to proceed because I was probably getting sick and I did! The next opportunity to do the fitness test was on Jan 13th! I now had to wait almost a month to get to the next step.