Preparing for Treatment
Online Multimodal Programme supporting people to prepare for cancer treatment and surgery
Facing cancer treatment is one of the most challenging things a person can go through. The Preparing for Treatment Programme is here to help you feel as strong, nourished and supported as possible before treatment begins, so you can approach what lies ahead with greater confidence.
The programme is free, online and built around you. It draws on Penny Brohn UK’s extensive catalogue of live and on-demand services, so you have immediate access to a wide range of specialist-led support from the moment you join.
Why prehabilitation matters
Research shows that taking steps to look after your physical and mental health before cancer treatment can make a real difference to how you feel during and after it.
According to Macmillan Cancer Support, the benefits of prehabilitation can be seen in as little as two weeks and may include:
- Feeling stronger and more resilient going into treatment
- Shorter hospital stays and fewer complications after surgery
- Better recovery and improved quality of life
- Greater confidence and a sense of control at a time that can feel very uncertain
You don’t have to make big changes to feel the benefit. Small, consistent steps, staying as active as you can, eating well and looking after your emotional health, can all add up to make a meaningful difference.
Source: Macmillan Cancer Support, Principles and Guidance for Prehabilitation (macmillan.org.uk)
What does the programme include?
Support is delivered across three pillars:
Exercise
Live online classes and on-demand videos and resources to help you build strength, stamina and resilience
Nutrition
Live group sessions and downloadable resources to help you nourish your body before treatment
Mindset
Emotional wellbeing groups, breathwork, hypnotherapy and on-demand videos to support your mental health
You don’t need to engage with all three pillars. The programme is designed to complement whatever support you already have in place, you can access whichever areas are most relevant to you.
Is it right for me?
This programme may be right for you if you are:
- Waiting for surgery in the next three months
- Starting chemotherapy, radiotherapy or immunotherapy- please note you must be at least two weeks away from starting treatment. If you are less than two weeks away, check out our Treatment Support Programme instead
- Finishing chemotherapy or radiotherapy and preparing for surgery
- Facing further treatment after a recurrence
To be eligible, you will also need to:
- Have a confirmed cancer diagnosis
- Be 18 years old or above
- Be able to access the programme independently, or with support from a family member or carer
A note about our online exercise classes
Our exercise classes are not suitable for everyone, and we want to be upfront about this. Please do not join the exercise element of the programme if any of the following apply to you:
- Acute respiratory illness
- Unstable angina
- Unstable diabetes
- Acute heart failure
- Uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure of 160/100 mmHg or above)
- Resting heart rate consistently above 100 bpm
- Unexplained or unstable pain
- Current pregnancy
If any of these apply, please speak to your clinical team before signing up. You may still be able to access our nutrition and wellbeing support.
Please don’t worry if some parts of the programme aren’t suitable for you right now, there may still be plenty we can offer. We’ll always let you know what’s available to you and help you find the right next step.
How do I join?
You can self-refer directly, no GP referral is needed.
The Introduction to Preparing for Treatment Session is the starting point for everyone on the programme. It’s a relaxed, friendly online session, with no cameras required if you don’t want to. You can simply listen and ask questions when you’re ready.
In the session, we cover:
- Why prehabilitation matters - what the research tells us about preparing physically and emotionally before treatment, and how it can make a real difference to how you feel going in and recovering afterwards
- How Penny Brohn UK can support you – an overview of what the programme offers across movement, nutrition and emotional wellbeing, and what’s available to you through your digital hub
- What to expect next - what happens once you’ve completed your questionnaire and when you might need support
- Your questions, answered - every session ends with open Q&A time, so you can ask about anything that’s on your mind
Live online - book the next live Introduction Session
Every Wednesday at 2pm. Join from wherever you are. You’ll be part of a small, friendly group, and there’s plenty of time for questions at the end.
On-demand - watch the on-demand version
Wednesday doesn’t suit, or you’d prefer to get started straight away? Watch the Introduction Session on-demand at any time.
After you book or access the on-demand session, we’ll send you your short screening questionnaire. Once you’ve completed it, we’ll let you know which support is most suited to you across each of the three areas of the programme. You must complete it to confirm your place on the programme.
What's inside the hub?
Inside the hub, you’ll find videos to watch in your own time, downloadable guides to keep, and the ability to book your spot on our live online sessions covering strength and fitness, nutrition, and emotional wellbeing. Everything is brought together in one place, so rather than navigating a sea of information at an already overwhelming time, you can focus on what’s right for you in the lead-up to treatment.
Our Prehab Team
Emily Spillman – Physical Activity Lead
A registered nurse and cancer rehab coach with experience in oncology, pelvic health, and fitness. Emily helps you move safely, with confidence and care.
“Movement should work with your body, not against it”
Kim Wilcox – Nutrition Lead
Kim is an Associate Registered Nutritionist and brings clarity and compassion to cancer nutrition. Her calm, non-diet approach helps you feel nourished, not overwhelmed.
“Food should be about what we can add, not take away”
Claire Lynch – Clinical Lead
Claire is a Cancer Nurse Specialist with years of
experience in integrative cancer care. She oversees your safety and keeps things tailored to you.
“Your values guide the support we offer, never the other way around.”
FAQs
The programme is for people with cancer who are preparing for treatment or surgery. It may be right for you if you are waiting for surgery in the next three months, starting chemotherapy, radiotherapy or immunotherapy (you must be at least two weeks away from starting). You may have finished chemotherapy or radiotherapy and now preparing for surgery, or facing further treatment after a recurrence. You will also need a confirmed cancer diagnosis, be 18 or above, and be able to access the programme independently or with support from a family member or carer.
That’s absolutely fine. You don’t need a treatment start date to join. The sooner you can start building your strength and wellbeing the better, so if you have a confirmed diagnosis and are anticipating treatment, we’d encourage you to get started as soon as you feel ready.
Please don’t worry. Treatment plans change, and we understand that the road ahead isn’t always predictable. If your situation changes after you’ve joined, just get in touch at prehab@pennybrohn.org.uk and we’ll talk through what’s still available to you and what might be most helpful at that point.
The programme doesn’t have a fixed end date; it is designed to support you throughout your prehabilitation period, however long that is. You can access our live sessions and on-demand hub for as long as you are preparing for treatment. We recommend engaging as consistently as you can in the time you have available before treatment begins.
The programme is built around three pillars: exercise, nutrition, and psychological wellbeing (mindset). You will have access to a range of live online exercise classes per week, including strength and stamina, yoga, and tai chi, as well as an on-demand resource hub with a wide range of videos and resources. You will also have access to live nutrition sessions, downloadable nutritional resources, and emotional wellbeing groups including breathwork and hypnotherapy. For some people, 1-to-1 sessions may also be available, see below for more detail.
This programme is designed to flex around your life, so what that looks like will be different for everyone.
We’d encourage you to explore the hub content to get a sense of how much exercise, nutritional changes and mindset tools might benefit your situation, but even small, consistent steps can make a real difference. You do not need to do every at once. If you need to support your mood before you can engage with anything else, then that might be a good place to start. Join what you can, when you can, and use the on-demand hub to fill in the gaps.
The starting point for everyone is the Welcome Session, a relaxed, friendly online session with no cameras required.
You can book the next live session, which runs every Wednesday at 2pm, or watch the on-demand version at any time. Once you have booked, we’ll send you a short screening questionnaire. Once you’ve completed it, we’ll let you know which support is most suited to you across each of the three areas of the programme. You must complete it to confirm your place.
The screening questionnaire helps us make sure the programme is appropriate for you. It also helps us understand your starting point so we can point you towards the support that will be most useful. It is a short form and most people complete it in a few minutes. If we have any concerns about your results, we will email you before you begin to make sure you have the right guidance or signposting before getting started.
We currently offer around four live online classes per week, covering a range of styles and abilities: strength and stamina, stretch and relax (yoga), gentle movement (yoga), and mindful movement (tai chi). Classes are delivered in a large group format online, so supervision is more limited than in a clinical or one-to-one setting. All participants complete a PAR-Q prior to attending to make sure it is safe for them to join. See our full session calendar here.
We welcome people at all fitness levels and have classes designed for a wide range of abilities, from chair-based and gentle movement through to higher-intensity options. However, the exercise element is not suitable for everyone. If you have any of the following, please speak to your clinical team before joining the exercise classes: acute respiratory illness, unstable angina, unstable diabetes, acute heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension (160/100 mmHg or above), resting heart rate consistently above 100 bpm, unexplained or unstable pain, or current pregnancy. If exercise isn’t right for you right now, you may still be able to access our nutrition and psychological wellbeing support – please get in touch and we’ll talk it through with you.
No. The Preparing for Treatment Programme is designed to complement, not replace, any support you are already receiving through your hospital or clinical team. If you are already accessing prehabilitation services through your hospital, you are still very welcome to join our programme – the two can work well alongside each other. If you are unsure whether it is appropriate for you, please speak to your clinical team or contact us at prehab@pennybrohn.org.uk.
No. The programme is completely free of charge.
Once you have completed your screening questionnaire, we will review your results and let you know whether you meet the criteria for any targeted one-to-one support. This may include a 1-to-1 exercise session to develop a personalised plan, a 1-to-1 nutrition session (available to patients in the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire area whose clinical team is at NBT or UHBW), or single-session counselling. If you are eligible, we will be in touch to arrange this alongside your access to the universal programme.
Yes, absolutely. The programme is designed to work alongside whatever support you already have in place. You don’t need to engage with all three pillars — if you are already well supported in one area, you can simply access the pillars that are most useful to you. We are here to complement your existing care, not to duplicate it. For example, if you are seeing a psychologist, you would not be eligible for our 1-2-1 counselling service at Penny Brohn UK, but you could still access support for Physical Activity & Nutrition.
The programme is designed specifically for people with a confirmed cancer diagnosis who are preparing for treatment or surgery. However, family members and carers are welcome to attend sessions alongside their loved one — this can be a great way for them to understand how to offer support at home. Penny Brohn UK also offers wider support for people affected by cancer, so we’d encourage carers to visit the main Penny Brohn UK website for information on what’s available to them.
We encourage clients to self-refer where possible – evidence from our pilot shows that self-referred clients are more likely to engage with the programme. For the targeted nutrition pathway specifically, referral must come via the HCP referral form. For full details on referral routes, please visit our professionals page or download our How to Refer guide.