Saint Mary’s Fitness Center launches cancer wellness program

Saint Mary’s Fitness Center is launching a new eight-week cancer wellness program this month called everyBODY can.

“everyBODY can came up as an idea to kick start a healthy lifestyle,” Cassie Goodman, medical exercise supervisor at Saint Mary’s Fitness Center, said.

Goodman explained that Saint Mary’s Fitness Center has run a cancer rehab program for more than five years now. Many of their cancer survivors, particularly women who have had breast cancer, are trying to lose weight and to reduce the risk for reoccurrence by exercising. However, to be successful members need to focus not only on exercise but also on eating well and living a healthy lifestyle.

“They are getting super focused on the exercise part and they are missing that nutrition and self-care component,” Goodman said.

In order to focus on all aspects of wellness, the fitness center is launching everyBODY can. The program includes team workshops with health coaches and nutritionists along with weekly group exercise classes and more.

everyBODY can is set up as a competition where participants can earn points in the three areas of exercise, nutrition and self-care. The grand prize winner will receive a spa certificate, hotel room and dinner provided by the Peppermill Resort Hotel along with a shopping spree. However, Goodman said they are implementing a cap on the amount of points a participant can earn for exercising so that they do not over exercise to win the competition.

“The idea is sustainable change,” Goodman said. “We don’t want people to go all gung-ho for eight weeks and not be able to maintain it afterward.”

everyBODY can runs from Feb. 13 till April 7. People interested in the program should sign-up prior to Wednesday, Feb. 15. The program costs $45 for Saint Mary’s Fitness Center members and $179 for non-members, which includes a membership to the fitness center during the eight weeks in addition to the program itself. Scholarship opportunities are available and the program is open to all cancer survivors in the Reno-Sparks area.

“It is open to men and women with all types of cancer at any stage of treatment as long as their doctor signs off on it,” Goodman said.

They already had 17 people sign-up for the program a week out from the launch. Goodman hopes to make everyBODY can a reoccurring program.

“We have been getting a lot of support from the community,” Goodman said.

Saint Mary’s Fitness Center is owned by Saint Mary’s Health Network. However, the facility is not limited to just Saint Mary’s patients.

“For a regular membership anyone can walk in, have a tour and sign-up just like a regular gym,” Goodman said.

The fitness center is open Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. It is located at 645 N. Arlington Ave. Suite 100.

The Saint Mary’s Fitness Center employs nearly 80 people including 15-20 personal trainers. The center has nearly 4,000 members with the average age of their members being 54-years-old. Since the fitness center offers medical-based exercise programs in addition to traditional fitness programs, it provides a safe environment to improve their health at any fitness level.

“We really try to keep it a non-intimidating place,” Goodman said.

For more information about the Fitness Center, visit www.saintmarysfitness.com. To learn more about the everyBODY can program or to sign up, contact Cassie Goodman at 775-770-7874 or email her at Cgoodman2@primehealthcare.com.