HEAL Program - Healthy Eating and Active Living
Children who have survived cancer have a much higher chance of developing chronic health problems than their peers. We have the tools we need to make a change… but we need your help!
How Can You Help?
We are currently recruiting families who have lived through childhood cancer to participate into our 12-week HEAL program. Through participation in HEAL, parents will learn strategies to help their child maintain healthy habits and a healthy weight as a cancer survivor!
Maintaining a healthy weight is very important to the long-term health of childhood cancer survivors. HEAL program is remotely delivered through our HEAL website, mobile access, and phone follow-up with a HEAL lifestyle coach! We look forward to your participation.
Principal Investigator: Fang Fang Zhang, MD, PhD
For more information, please reach out to HEALprogram@tufts.edu
Obesity: A Risk to be Concerned About
More children diagnosed with cancer are becoming long-term survivors and many are considered cured. This is great news, but we’ve started recognizing that children who have survived cancer have a much higher chance of developing chronic health problems than their peers. In fact, a 24-year old childhood cancer survivor has the same risk of developing serious chronic health conditions as a sibling twice their age.
Studies have shown that survivors of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), the most common form of childhood cancer, are at risk of becoming overweight or obese early in treatment. Increases in weight are typically maintained throughout treatment and beyond.
We’re taking a closer look at obesity, a chronic health condition that poses additional health risks, such as an increased rate of cardiovascular disease. Obesity also somewhat increases the chances of a recurrence of the cancer.
Transitioning to Healthy Eating and Active Living
It can be difficult for parents to reverse the unhealthy habits established during early stages of cancer treatment. The Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) program is an online program designed to help parents transition the family into healthy eating and active living, after the child completes the early stage of cancer treatment.
For the latest news and updates about the HEAL program, follow us on Twitter.
More children diagnosed with cancer are becoming long-term survivors and many are considered cured. This is great news, but we’ve started recognizing that children who have survived cancer have a much higher chance of developing chronic health problems than their peers. In fact, a 24-year old childhood cancer survivor has the same risk of developing serious chronic health conditions as a sibling twice their age. Studies have shown that survivors of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), the most common form of childhood cancer, are at risk of becoming overweight or obese early in treatment. Increases in weight are typically maintained throughout treatment and beyond. We’re taking a closer look at obesity, a chronic health condition that poses additional health risks, such as an increased rate of cardiovascular disease. It can be difficult for parents to reverse the unhealthy habits established during early stages of cancer treatment. The Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) program is an online program designed to help parents transition the family into healthy eating and active living, after the child completes the early stage of cancer treatment.