WELLNESS TRAINING PROGRAM

 

Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer under 50 are in the prime of their lives when they are faced with a life-threatening illness: Many are starting families, raising children, and rising in their careers. Juggling those obligations while navigating appointments, surgeries, and treatment leaves many struggling to prioritize the self-care that is critically important to helping them to rise above the physical and mental effects of cancer and treatment.

 
 

The iRise & Shine Wellness Training Program is a flexible program that incorporates the best evidence-based approaches to exercise, yoga, mindfulness meditation, targeted nutrition, and positive psychology programming, allowing women to feel their best, enjoy long-term survivorship, and thrive. The program is delivered virtually through an exercise app, Zoom meetings, social media, and other digital content, making it convenient for busy people with all stages of breast cancer during and after treatment.

Most importantly, the program connects young women with breast cancer to a community of like-minded people with the same goals: the desire to live full, vibrant lives aligned with their passion and purpose, and to move the needle on their prognosis. They encourage each other and are inspired to become the authors of their own stories, reclaim their power, and discover their true authentic selves, so that they can heal and live well.

 
 
  • Woman boxing a punching bag

    EXERCISE

    A flexible online training program empowers women to safely and effectively build strength, endurance, flexibility, and muscle, enabling them to gain confidence, boost self-esteem, and feel great. Participants track their progress, modify their routines, and support each other through an exercise app and other digital platforms.

  • Woman meditating on the floor with their hands in the prayer position

    MINDFULNESS MEDITATION

    Guided practices and prompts provide women with the tools to be fully present and aware of where they are and what they’re doing, so they are less susceptible to being overwhelmed and reactive.

  • A plate of healthy food such as avocado, tomatoes, cheese, and greens.

    TARGETED NUTRITION

    Webinars and information provided by the iRise Above Wellness Collective, as well as tracking tools, empower women to build their own flexible, anti-cancer nutrition habits that will help them to achieve their goals in a safe and sustainable manner, and to cultivate bodies that are less hospitable to cancer.

  • A woman with their eyes closed among tropical plants

    POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

    Programming that inspires and supports women to focus on their strengths, ditch the self-limiting beliefs that diminish the capacity for positivity, and increase the feelings of motivation, resiliency, and wellness. Participants learn to break from the limitation and fear of a breast cancer diagnosis, so they can live fully. They learn to focus on the present moment and anticipate the future through a more positive lens to significantly improve quality of life.

  • A group of women huddling together in a supportive embrace.

    COMMUNITY SUPPORT

    Weekly virtual meetings, online exchanges, and encouragement through the fitness app build camaraderie and accountability among like-minded young women recovering from breast cancer as they strive to achieve common goals.

  • A woman practicing yoga in a high lunge

    YOGA BODY MOVEMENT

    Yoga practices assist with many side effects experienced during and after treatment and surgery for breast cancer. Created by members of our Wellness Collective, the iRise Above yoga practices are designed to connect the body and mind, strengthen the parasympathetic nervous system, promote lymphatic flow, and tone the vagus nerve to boost physical and mental wellbeing.

 
 

 TESTIMONIALS

Meet Kristen. Hear her story. Be inspired.

Meet Deborah. Hear her story. Be inspired.

Meet Cait. Hear her story. Be inspired.

Meet Kristi. Hear her story. Be inspired.

  • Kristi M., 46, Bethesda, MD, USA

    “Combining physical, mental, and spiritual well-being were crucial to me during my breast cancer treatment nine years ago, but I had gotten away from them over the years. The iRise and Shine Wellness Training Program was exactly the boost that I needed to revitalize all of those areas of my life with the added support of a community of survivors who face similar challenges. This regimen armed me with the latest information about nutrition, exercise, sexual health, and spiritual well-being targeted to breast cancer survivors, but it was the encouragement of the community of survivors, and our compassionate trainers, that empowered me to make the most of these tools.

    The weekly presentations about topics ranging from sexual health to spiritual discovery were not only informative and evidenced-based, they were delivered by compassionate and empathetic experts. Check-ins and light-hearted discussions on social media and via the fitness app added accountability. But my favorite element of the program were Jake Wright’s workouts, which are individually tailored to each participant. I am an avid runner who has participated in dozens of live and recorded exercise programs over decades, and I found Jake’s to be the most effective and accessible of them all. As a runner, I am leery of exercise programs that are too strenuous and require a lot of plyometrics – Jake’s workouts offer just the right amount of targeted-challenge that delivers results and they can be modified. I really appreciated his short videos that describe and demonstrate each exercise.

    This program offered the tools and encouragement that I needed to take back control of my mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, and cultivate a rich and well-rounded life as a cancer survivor.”

  • Andrea S., Toronto, ON, Canada

    “I felt lost after active treatment, the iRise & Shine Wellness Training Program really helped me find my way. The workouts are fun and keep me active and accountable. If I need a little motivation, the ladies are always there for support.”

  • Marie F., 42 Culver City, CA, USA

    “A month before finishing chemotherapy for breast cancer I found iRise & Gillian. It was perfect timing to support me in the most challenging time of my entire journey. Typically treatment ends and patients are left to navigate their new world alone - Not me! Thanks to iRise I had support for all facets - mind, body & spirit. Their nutrition, fitness, meditation, journaling and check-in meetings are science-backed methods to prevent recurrence. Plus the program brings me so much joy! I can’t thank Gillian & my iRise sisters enough!”

  • Karen R., 37, Toronto, ON, Canada

    “I was fortunate that during my treatment I felt well enough to stay physically active, yet I found that all wellness programs catering to women with breast cancer were designed for an older population and there were not a lot of programs that would be applicable to young and active breast cancer patients. The exercise and training component of the iRise & Shine Wellness Training Program was vigorous enough to be challenging to even the most active participant, but customizable enough to appeal to someone new to working out. The seminars were very relevant to issues facing young women with breast cancer and the online community provided accountability and a place to share our triumphs and frustrations. “

There is no cure for breast cancer. Challenge your breast cancer prognosis. Take control of your health and well-being.

FAQ

  • The Wellness Training Program is an online, virtual program designed to help women feel empowered, supported, and inspired to cultivate an outstanding quality of life during and after breast cancer.

  • The pillars of the Wellness Training Program are daily exercise routines, yoga practices, mindfulness meditations, targeted nutrition information, positive psychology practices, webinars, and community support.

  • The Wellness Training Program lasts twelve weeks.

  • We reserve space for women who have experienced breast cancer in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Women in active treatment and post treatment can participate.

  • Information is delivered virtually through the following:

    1. Emailed weekly newsletters

    2. The Trainerize exercise app that members download at the start of the program

    3. Weekly interactive Zoom sessions

    4. Private facebook group

    1) Newsletter

    Every week, members receive an emailed newsletter that contains an overview of the weekly intention and focus. Journal prompts and reflections are often included. The newsletter includes links to relevant articles and podcasts, as well as to videos of yoga and meditation practices designed specifically for the Wellness Training Program by our iRise Above Wellness Collective. The newsletter contains targeted nutrition information and tips on clean living. Members also receive links to our interactive Zoom webinars and member support meetings, provided in the newsletter.

    Daily exercise routines are delivered through the Trainerize fitness app that allows participants to track their progress, encourage each other, and even modify routines. Our Wellness Collective fitness coach designs each routine to be fun, engaging, and challenging. Workouts are based on equipment that participants already have or want to purchase.

    2) Exercise

    Each routine includes a series of carefully designed movements, with short video descriptions and demonstrations to ensure that members are using correct form and avoid injury.

    The videos offer modifications so that members can adjust the challenge to suit them and their fitness level. After members complete a routine, they are asked to rank how challenging it was, which allows them to track their progress and provides feedback.

    The workouts target the upper and lower body, as well as the core.

    Although we recommend that participants choose one of the workouts to complete daily, they can complete other activities in addition to or instead of those workouts. Members can track other activities — like swimming, cycling, running, pilates, cross-training and much more — through the app to monitor their progress.

    A live workout is offered on Sundays.

    Our fitness training coach communicates with members through the app, but is also available to meet with members virtually one-on-one to discuss any challenges, questions, or concerns that they have.

    Our yoga practice experts pre-record various classes for you to enjoy on your own time. They also offer live interactive sessions.

    3) Interactive Zoom Sessions

    Each week members can expect an interactive Zoom meeting. These meetings include group support, as well as interactive webinar sessions with our Wellness Collective on subject areas relevant to our community to support their efforts to heal and live well after breast cancer.

    4) Private Facebook Group

    This platform functions as a private forum for interactive dialogue among the members and the Wellness Collective. It’s a safe space where members can share their thoughts and support one another. This is also where the Wellness Collective delivers information on subject matter relevant to the group, in addition to the weekly newsletter and interactive webinars.

  • Yes, most of the activities are asynchronous and delivered virtually — members can complete them at any time that is convenient for them. Our interactive weekly meetings and webinars are synchronous — they are held at the same time each week — and are accessed through Zoom. Members can dedicate as much time as they like to the program, though the more time they put into it, the more they will get out of it.

  • No, daily workout options always include a bodyweight routine that requires no equipment at all. Other routines are based on equipment that participants already have or want to purchase.

  • Absolutely! The workouts are flexible and can be adjusted to accommodate any fitness level. Members can complete bodyweight workouts, which require no equipment at all, or simply elect to do fewer reps or sets of workouts with weights, minibands, and other equipment. Detailed information about equipment that participants can use is provided at the beginning of the program. Members are encouraged to challenge themselves based on their fitness and comfort level. Our fitness coach is always happy to communicate with participants and suggest ways of modifying their exercise routines.

  • Not at all. Although our fitness coach recommends that participants choose one of the workouts to complete daily, they can complete other activities in addition to or instead of those workouts. Members can track other activities — like swimming, cycling, running, cross-training, pilates, and much more — through the app to monitor their progress.

  • Our exercise and yoga practices are unique because they are carefully designed by our Wellness Collective experts with iRise Above members — younger women who have had, or are being treated for, breast cancer — specifically in mind.

    But our Wellness Training Program offers far more than just those practices. Our members also benefit from mindfulness meditations, targeted nutrition information and motivation, positive psychology practices, webinars, and community support — all focused on the unique needs and challenges that younger women with breast cancer face during and after treatment.

    Research shows that all of these practices benefit women with breast cancer and they reflect the iRise Above Foundation’s commitment to empowering women with the tools that they can adopt to cultivate vibrant wellness, to heal and live well during and after cancer.

  • Our program is flexible — members can participate as little or as much as they like, though the more that they put into it, the more they will get out of it. Participants complete workouts, yoga and mindfulness practices, journaling, and so on their own time. Our recorded webinars and weekly group support meetings are scheduled to last an hour, once a week.

  • No! In fact we encourage women at any stage to join the Wellness Training Program.

  • $180 USD