Bringing Exercise Oncology to More Facilities

New grants from HFA and the American Cancer Society help health clubs and studios train staff and expand programs for people affected by cancer.

BY JULIE KING

For people navigating cancer, research shows that exercise can offer benefits that extend beyond physical fitness. Yet connecting patients with qualified exercise professionals and appropriate programs remains a challenge.

Health clubs have an opportunity to help close that gap—and a new grant initiative funded by the American Cancer Society and administered by the Health & Fitness Association (HFA) Foundation is helping pave the way.

Announced October 5, the Exercise Oncology Grants will fund staff training and program development at 10 fitness facilities across the US. The goal is to expand access to specialized exercise programs for people during and after cancer treatment.

For club operators, this initiative signals growing recognition that fitness centers can play a meaningful role in supporting people affected by cancer, while creating new opportunities to serve their communities.

“There is significant momentum in the exercise oncology space,” says Amy Bantham, DrPH, executive director of the HFA Foundation and CEO and founder of Move to Live More. “With a growing population of people living with and beyond cancer, demand is increasing for safe and effective exercise programs delivered in community-based settings.”

Bridging the Gap

While the evidence supporting exercise for people affected by cancer has advanced, access to appropriate programs has not kept pace.

“The biggest gaps are between what we know about the benefits of exercise during and after cancer treatment and our ability to connect people with community-based exercise oncology programs,” Bantham says. “We must continue to build bridges between healthcare and the health and fitness industry so that exercise assessment and referral become a standard part of cancer care, with reimbursement to support access.”

A recent policy milestone could help accelerate that connection. In September, the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) Executive Committee approved Standard 4.9: Exercise Oncology Services. The standard calls for CoC-accredited cancer programs to implement an exercise assessment and referral process during a patient's first course of treatment.

The potential reach is substantial. Bantham points to more than 18 million cancer survivors and more than two million new cancer cases diagnosed annually in the United States.

“Fitness facilities can position themselves to meet this growing demand, demonstrate their value as healthcare partners, and expand their reach to new populations,” she says. “We must continue to build bridges between healthcare and the health and fitness industry so that exercise assessment and referral become a standard part of cancer care, with reimbursement to support access.”

Bantham

“We must continue to build bridges between healthcare and the health and fitness industry so that exercise assessment and referral become a standard part of cancer care, with reimbursement to support access.”

• Amy Bantham

Taking the Lead

Through a competitive application process, a grant review committee selected recipients based on their commitment to community health, plans to serve people affected by cancer, and ability to use the funding to build sustainable programs. The 10 recipients are:

CBRC Health & Fitness (Columbia Basin Racquet Club), Richland, WA
The Claremont Club, Claremont, CA
Plymouth Fitness, Plymouth, MA
Healthworks Group, Cambridge, MA
Columbia Association, Columbia, MD
Cedardale Health + Fitness, Haverhill, MA
acac Fitness & Wellness Centers, Charlottesville, VA
The Houstonian Hotel Club and Spa, Houston, TX
Hawthorn Farms Athletic Club, Hillsboro, OR
FIT STUDIO: The Minnesota Exercise Oncology Program with AKTIV Against Cancer, St. Louis Park, MN

Each facility has committed to have at least three staff members complete an exercise oncology credential. These credentialed professionals will also participate in three facilitated learning sessions and review a best practices guide to support program development and delivery. Grant recipients will use the funding within six months of receiving the award.

“I hope these facilities will demonstrate that there is industry appetite and capacity to meet the needs of members and prospective members during and after cancer treatment,” Bantham says.

CBRC Health & Fitness: (l to r) Tate Andrews, Whitney Patterson, Kate Morgan, and Morgan Fewel

The Claremont Club: (l to r) John Neihart, Ronnie Neihart, Maria Aslin, and Antionette Mara

Plymouth Fitness: (l to r) Ashley Palmer, Marlene Velez-O'Brien, Paul Baldrate, and Alex Mitchell

Healthworks Group: Lindsey Canty

Columbia Association: (l to r) Andrea Ornoff, Jodi Kowalcyzk, Tavia Patusky, Steven Madewell, and Joshua Weinberg

Cedardale Health + Fitness: (l to r) Kevin Menzie, Jonas Kwiatowski, Madilyn LaRiviere, Vanessa Beauregard, Sam McCarthy, and Lindsay Maroney

acac Fitness & Wellness Centers: Jennifer Perrin

The Houstonian Hotel Club and Spa: (l to r) Craig Freeman, Shantelle Trahan, Heather Thompson, Patti Plagmann, Shae Murphy, and Jimmie Schroeder

Hawthorn Farms Athletic Club: (l to r) Mary Grace Hueber, Joe Supps, and Laurie Nielsen-Consiglieri

A Grant Recipient Explains Why Specialized Programming Matters

One of the grant recipients is Aaron Leventhal, NSCA-CSCS, ACSM-CES, the US director of programming for AKTIV Against Cancer, operator of the Minnesota Exercise Oncology Program, and owner of FIT STUDIO in St. Louis Park, MN.

Leventhal is a former professional soccer player and a cancer survivor himself. Since January 2026, he has worked with AKTIV Against Cancer, an organization founded by the late Norwegian marathon champion Grete Waitz in 2007. Waitz, a nine-time winner of the New York Marathon, passed away from cancer on April 21, 2011.

Leventhal says that exercise oncology requires different preparation than simply adapting a conventional personal training session.

“There is a window after someone has a diagnosis that allows them to reassess their life in a way that they can change habits, and movement and exercise can play a role,” he says. “When we engage people at that time, we have a better opportunity of helping them understand the impact of exercise on their life.”

Fitness professionals need to understand cancer diagnoses, treatment protocols, and potential side effects. Some treatments can affect cardiovascular health or immune function, creating considerations that must be addressed before exercise begins. Professionals must also recognize when a client's needs warrant consultation with, or referral back to, a healthcare provider.

“It's extremely important for fitness professionals to know what their role is and what their limitations are in terms of scope of practice,” Leventhal says. “Exercise for cancer patients needs to be customized, closely monitored, and progressive.”

(l to r) Aaron Leventhal, Christine Leventhal, Lindsay Williams, Corey DiNardo, and Jesse Valasquez

“This area is moving quickly, and I think that clubs that are not investing in exercise oncology will find themselves falling behind.” • Aaron Leventhal

He recommends gathering a thorough health history and working with a member of the client's healthcare team to address potential concerns. That may include a primary care physician, oncologist, surgeon, or physical therapist.

Specialized credentials can help prepare trainers for this work. Amy Bantham, DrPH, executive director of the HFA Foundation and CEO and founder of Move to Live More, identifies several options:

· The American College of Sports Medicine's Cancer Exercise Specialist course

· The American Council on Exercise's Cancer Exercise Partner Specialist program

· Maple Tree Cancer Alliance's exercise oncology certifications

The Value of Emotional Connection and Community

Technical knowledge is only part of the equation. A fitness professional can provide camaraderie, encouragement, and a sense of shared purpose that may be difficult to find in a traditional healthcare setting.

“Cancer can be extremely isolating, and returning to a movement practice can often be intimidating,” Leventhal points out. “Community and a sense of accomplishment when it comes to movement are powerful. The support, engagement, and everything that goes along with movement have shown that someone can change their perspective rather quickly.”

Leventhal’s Minnesota Exercise Oncology Program, operated with AKTIV Against Cancer, offers services free of charge and relies entirely on funding. The program currently has a waitlist of more than 200 people. After completing the program, many participants continue as gym members at FIT STUDIO.

“When we launched our program, we didn't have any cancer patients who were members of our gym,” he says. “If you build it, they will come.”

Shaping Programs to Client Needs

To evaluate progress, Leventhal recommends establishing baseline measurements during intake and repeating appropriate assessments. A six-minute walk test, for example, can help determine whether a program's cardiovascular training prescription is producing the intended results.

“Feeling emotionally connected to what you do and wanting to do it each day, as opposed to having to do it each day,” is fundamental to a sustainable movement practice, he adds.

Attendance and consistency are also important indicators. Ultimately, success means helping participants develop the confidence and knowledge to continue exercising independently, rather than relying indefinitely on one trainer or program.

Because exercise oncology is new, there aren’t many models yet for club operators to reference. Each gym’s business model will depend on its resources, community partnerships, and target population, Leventhal notes. Some may begin with a specialized personal training service, while others may build a dedicated program or partner with a nonprofit or healthcare organization.

He suggests that clubs start with education and partnerships. Organizations such as AKTIV Against Cancer can share program models, while specialized credentials help trainers understand the requirements of the work.

“This area is moving quickly, and I think that clubs that are not investing in exercise oncology will find themselves falling behind,” Leventhal adds.

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