Fitness
trainer Erin Buck is a woman on a mission: to help breast cancer
survivors. Her journey started 10 years ago when she was working with a
personal training client who was going through breast cancer treatment.
That experience has evolved into a suite of programs at the Upper Valley
Aquatic Center (UVAC).
Erin K. Buck, ACSM Cancer Specialist, director of PALS for Life Vermont and New Hampshire, and fitness director at the Upper Valley Aquatic
Center located in White River Junction, Vermont.
Erin
wanted to help her client avoid lymphedema, a common side effect that
can occur after breast cancer surgery or radiation treatment. Blockage
in the lymphatic system prevents lymph fluid from draining well and, as
fluid builds up, swelling occurs. Traditionally women were advised to
avoid stressing the affected arm to prevent swelling. Erin started doing
research and discovered the University of Pennsylvania Physical
Activity and Lymphedema study (PALS), which demonstrated that physical
exercise, specifically weight training, not only did not harm patients
but reduced the likelihood of arm swelling.
Intrigued
and inspired, Erin reached out to Cathy Bryan, one of the researchers
and the founder of PALS for Life, a small-group training program based
on the study. Erin then connected with Dartmouth-Hitchcock, speaking
with the whole circle of providers to figure out how to navigate this
kind of program in the Upper Valley. She created a referral network,
found a space, and got started.
Programs
like PALS need money to run, and Erin was committed to having it be
free for her clients. At the time, she was an independent trainer and
wasn’t able to secure funding, so she gave her time in kind, to the tune
of 15 to 20 hours a week. “It was time well spent. I felt called.”
The Program
Erin Buck cues Katherine Babbott of Thetford, Vermont, in a “triple threat,” a compound exercise
consisting of ball hip extensions, ball leg curls,
and ball hip thrusts. Stability is the first foundation focused on in the PALS for Life protocol.
The
PALS for Life program creates groups of three to six individuals
receiving treatment for breast cancer that meet twice a week for 12 weeks.
Erin says, “It’s different when they are out of treatment and they’ve
had physical therapy. During treatment there are many highs and lows.”
In
addition to increasing fitness and improving prognosis—cancer
recurrence is much less likely for those who are active—the training has
emotional benefits as well. “Patients are going through a traumatic
experience. They have no confidence and they feel their body turned
against them. Strength training changes that.”
Katy Driscoll (Thetford, Vermont), Deb Steele (Lebanon, New Hampshire), Katherine Babbott
(Thetford, Vermont), and Erin Buck (Lebanon, New
Hampshire) perform elevated single-leg glute bridges.
Erin’s
philosophy is simple: “Having empathy is a huge part of coaching any
population. You have to allow them to work at their pace, so I make
things achievable to inspire them.” She is always asking, “How can I
help you make good choices for you, your family, and your cancer
diagnosis? The goal is to build their toolbox,” which is why the program
includes nutritional counseling as well. “I leave them with an arsenal
of things to go and do on their own. I want them to increase physical
strength and emotional strength so they can move into any realm.”
Expansion and UVAC
Erin
found that 12 weeks was good for a start, but her clients could use
more, and she needed more support. She had done classic fundraising
activities, like cyclothons, but to expand the program, she needed a
home base. So joined the staff at UVAC, where she is now fitness
director, and brought PALS for Life with her.
The June 2021 PALS for Life women attended the Lyme Wellness Fair on September 25, 2021,
where PALS for Life held a booth educating
the public on lymphatic stretching. A big emphasis is placed on social gatherings outside of class time.
Being
at UVAC, a nonprofit organization, gave Erin what she needed to secure
grants from organizations like the Couch Foundation. Such support
allowed her to expand with the PALS for Life Bridge Program,
affordably priced small-group training for those who have completed the
PALS protocol and want to do additional training based upon the Strength
and Courage exercise program. She also created the Living Beyond Cancer
program, another affordably priced group training open to anyone who
has had breast cancer.
“These
programs find people at very different times of their lives. From the
time they were told they had breast cancer, their lives changed, the way
they related to their bodies changed. We never turn anybody away, and
we welcome back ‘graduates’ when they need to return.”
The Future
The
pandemic brought challenges for PALS, but Erin found ways to make it
work. She currently offers the program in hybrid format, combining
in-person and Zoom, which has made her think of ways of expanding beyond
the Upper Valley. “I’m striving to receive funding to offer it remotely
across all of Vermont and New Hampshire,” she says. She’s also
interested in expanding to other forms of cancer. “I’m always trying to
find what we can do,” she says.
The
program’s motto is “Courage, strength, hope.” Erin Buck’s persistence
in bringing training to breast cancer survivors is the perfect example.
For more information
Testimonials
I
am so grateful for having been able to participate in the PALS program.
Over the weeks, I gained confidence in exercise, learning how to safely
build strength while living with lymphedema. Sharing the experience
with other survivors was amazing. These women were inspiring,
motivating, and supportive, and the class was both emotionally and
physically therapeutic. I feel privileged to have benefited from Erin’s
dedication to and the UVAC’s support of this important program and thoroughly enjoyed the welcoming and relaxed atmosphere of the class and facility. Thank you!
Nicole Azze, October 2021
I
joined because of the PALS program and needed a jumpstart to rehab
after surgery for breast cancer. I’m continuing because I got incredible
support from both Erin and Carrie, physically and emotionally. It’s
easy to get into a funk due to stresses in life, whether it is life,
work, or health related. Starting an exercise program was the best way
for me to feel as though I had some sort of control over my life. Erin,
Carrie, and the other women in the group gave me that sense of control.
Catherine Driscoll, January 2022
Erin
and Carrie both nurture and nudge us. Sticklers for correct form so we
get stronger without hurting ourselves, they keep us moving throughout
the hour-long workouts. Because there are two trainers, one is free to
offer individual support as she moves around the room, while the other
leads the exercises. The workouts are varied and fun. It’s true. Trust
me! We record our exercises and progress as we increase our weights and
repetitions. During these 12 weeks we have grown physically and
emotionally stronger and morphed into a group of supportive and
connected women brought together by a common diagnosis that changed all
our lives.
Katherine Babbott, October 2021