Working with the Macmillan team at West Suffolk Hospital, the 12-week programme will help keep male cancer patients active throughout their cancer journey.

Following a referral from the Macmillan team – patients are offered access to the programme at Abbeycroft which includes a weekly, body-weight circuit based, gentle exercise class, which is designed to be safe and suitable for anyone who is living with cancer.

“Our female patients have always come along to classes such as Pilates, but male patients were less keen. This was a real unmet need, and now we can offer male patients a place to get together with a male trainer, work on their fitness and wellbeing and support one another,” said Nicky McKee, manager of the Macmillan Information and Support Centre at the West Suffolk Hospital.

Funding for the programme came from the third phase of the Sport England Tackling Inequalities Fund (now known at the Together Fund) which was distributed by the team at Active Suffolk.

Staff at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust already work closely with Abbeycroft, referring suitable patients to a free physical activity pathway, working with qualified exercise instructors, including specialists in cancer, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. The service is available at Abbeycroft’s Mildenhall, Brandon, Sudbury, Haverhill and Newmarket leisure centres.

In addition, the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust runs a joint promotion offering all its staff free membership at Abbeycroft centres, as part of its commitment to supporting their wellbeing.