In our latest chat, we caught up with Dr. David Mizrahi, an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and the 2023 Col Reynolds Fellow, who’s making incredible strides in how exercise can positively impact cancer recovery in kids.
In this interview, Dr. Mizrahi shares what inspired him to explore the benefits of movement for young cancer patients and how success stories like Hugo Kulcsar’s fuel his passion for this work.
He also dives into the key benefits of getting kids moving early in their treatment, offering insights into how physical activity not only helps them regain strength but also boosts their confidence and overall well-being.
Dr. Mizrahi, it’s incredible to hear about your research on how exercise can positively impact cancer recovery in kids. What inspired you to focus on this area, and how did you get started in researching the benefits of movement for young cancer patients?
I had previously researched how exercise benefits adults with cancer, so I knew of its benefits. When I started working at a large children’s hospital in clinical trials (helping to find new and better treatments), I noticed that most young cancer patients weren’t offered guidance on exercise during or after treatment. This prompted me to investigate the role of exercise in young cancer patients further, and I discovered a lack of research in this area. As a result, I enrolled in a PhD program to learn more about how exercise can help these kids.
You’ve seen firsthand how exercise can make a difference for children like Hugo Kulcsar, who’s now cancer-free and an ambassador for The Kids’ Cancer Project’s Better Challenge. How does it feel to witness such success stories, and how do they influence your work?
Hugo’s story is so inspirational, he is such a driven and headstrong young person. It was really inspiring to hear how he went from the lows of being diagnosed and receiving treatment, to sticking to a plan to regain his strength, fitness, and confidence to return to where he wanted to be, which was the footy field.
Stories like Hugo tell us that anything is possible through planning and moving forward step by step. All children deserve to have movement, so this is an important reminder when I work with families to develop a gradual plan starting from their ‘new normal’ undergoing cancer treatment to working towards a physical goal of their choice.
Exercise isn’t typically the first thing that comes to mind when people think about cancer treatment. Can you share some of the key benefits that physical activity can offer for children going through treatment, and why it’s so important to get them moving early on?
Exercise and physical activity have shown to combat some of the key side effects of cancer treatment. It’s common for patients to suffer loss of strength, fitness, stamina, experience psychological distress, self-esteem issues, fatigue, as well as impacts on organs like the heart and lungs. Exercise is vital for maintaining both physical and psychological well-being, enabling people to engage in activities they enjoy and maintain quality of life.
Kids undergoing cancer treatment experience a dramatic shift in their lives, and may go from being active to bedridden, sick, and frail in just a few months. It’s crucial to get them moving early to preserve muscle strength and maintain independence early on, so when they finish treatment and return to school, they have more confidence in resuming normal activities with their friends.
We need to build confidence in young cancer patients so they can live relatively normal, active lives. Childhood cancer survivors are up to 15 times more likely to develop heart disease than their peers, so strengthening the heart with exercise as early as possible is essential to reducing this risk.
Your research focuses on early intervention and promoting active lifestyles to help prevent future chronic diseases in kids who’ve battled cancer. How do you approach getting these young patients and their families engaged in exercise, especially during such a challenging time?
A new cancer diagnosis is a challenging time for the whole family, with their lives turned upside down, and exercise is certainly not at the forefront of their minds. Support and encouragement from nursing and medical teams are crucial in guiding families to listen to exercise staff.
With this, many parents ask what they can do to help their child in their own time, and exercise can combat many physical and psychological side effects of treatment. So, there’s a few things that are important when discussing how to safely exercise with families:
It’s important to educate them and provide reassurance that movement is both safe and beneficial in combating many side effects. This could include discussing how exercise reduces the fatigue most kids experience or how strength exercises can lower the risk of becoming bedridden or needing a wheelchair.
Individualise the exercise program to the patient, as one size does not fit all. In Hugo’s case, he was so driven to return to the rugby field, however not all kids are sporty, so this presents the challenge. It is crucial to find any movement that the child can try and enjoy. It may be games-based, a sport, dancing, even using Nintendo Wii Fit. Some kids enjoy exercise with their friends or family, and some alone. Older kids might want a structured plan, while others may be content with unstructured activity at the park.
With next month being Childhood Brain Cancer Awareness Month, what message would you like to share with parents and families about the role of exercise in supporting their children’s recovery and long-term health?
Any movement is beneficial, even in small doses. Start small and add light challenges each week so kids can keep improving and gain confidence. Involve friends and family in physical activities together.
Trying different activities that improve fitness like walking, dancing, or strengthening exercises such as wall push-ups and chair stands can build the foundation for other sports. For a personalised exercise plan, speak with your GP about a Chronic Disease Management Plan to receive up to five subsidised sessions with an Accredited Exercise Physiologist.
You’re deeply involved in such impactful research. How do you manage to balance your demanding work with your personal life, and do you have any daily routines or habits that help you stay grounded?
Exercise is such an important part of my own life and happiness levels. I am finding with two young kids that it has become much harder to have time or energy to exercise, and when I’m unable after a few long days, it really impacts me physically and mentally.
I have two strategies for my own exercise scheduling which is getting up 30 minutes earlier and going for a run. There’s no better way to start the day and switch on than seeing the sunrise and having moments of meditation. I sometimes complete a quick 20-minute jog straight after the kids are asleep, even though it’s quick, it just gets me out after a long day to clear my mind.
Lastly, the most enjoyable time I have with my kids is when we are on a hike, or at a park running around, playing together, and being present with each other in the moment. There’s nothing better than getting into nature, which always manages to fill my cup.
The Better Challenge is such a meaningful way to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research. How can people get involved, and what impact do you hope the challenge will have on advancing your research and helping more kids like Hugo?
The Better Challenge encourages Aussies to complete 90km any way throughout September. It’s a great way to raise awareness and important funds for childhood cancer research, while also raising awareness of the importance of physical activity for kids with cancer and helping the community to come together and get fit and active together. It’s a win-win for all!
Research funds go on to support researchers with innovative programs such as my own, which aims to provide tailored exercise programs to many kids with cancer during their treatment. Sign up to the challenge or donate to support a great cause!
