Cancer Patients See Benefits From Yoga
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Breast cancer survivors are finding yoga can help them relax and recover after treatment.
After a bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy, Kristi Evans turned to yoga to try to return to "life as normal."
"Just to be with other survivors," Evans says. "A sense of community make my body stronger, my mind stronger."
Dr. Chi Pham, from Baylor All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth, says cancer patients endure a lot of psychological stress when diagnosed with cancer and undergoing treatment. 90% of all cancer patients say they can't get a good night's sleep.
"One of the biggest factors we encounter is fatigue," says Dr. Pham. "There is no magic pill. Yoga is able to make them feel more energized."
Baylor offers a free yoga class that is customized for cancer patients and their recovering bodies.
"When women undergo surgery for breast cancer they often experience scarring that impairs their mobility -- yoga helps improve that mobility."
Evans agrees. "I'm also able to relax and stay calm more because of yoga, have lots of fun and just live."
