Select language:  
1800 620 420
Close menu

Information, insights, even exercise covered at the CLL patient forum

The Leukaemia Foundation hosted a special CLL patient forum in Melbourne with international guest speaker, Dr Jan Burger, in May 2019. 

He is a professor from the Department of Leukaemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre, a leading cancer hospital in the U.S., and his key interests are treating people with acute and chronic leukaemias and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Forum participants during the exercise session.
Forum participants during the exercise session.

Dr Burger also heads a research program that develops pre-clinical and clinical concepts to target the microenvironment in acute and chronic leukaemias.

Exercise and leukaemia was another subject covered at the forum by exercise physiologist, Lauren Young. In her interactive discussion, When exercise is part of the best medicine, she gave details about how exercise can help improve your overall condition and lifestyle, so you can feel better living with a blood cancer.

Lauren explained a range of simple exercises that can be beneficial and how to best manage your exercise routine when living with a chronic disease like CLL. She even got the forum attendees up on their feet to do a 30-second sit-to-stand exercise, to rate their strength, and a standing balance test.

Around 45 people were at the CLL patient forum, some travelling from interstate.

Feedback on the forum’s content, presenters, venue, and overall satisfaction was overwhelmingly positive and many appreciated the chance to meet with other people living with CLL.

“We travelled to Melbourne from Sydney for the conference as my wife, Kim was diagnosed with CLL at the start of the year and we were keen to learn more about the condition and possible treatments.

“It was also a great opportunity to meet the wonderful Kath (Leukaemia Foundation Blood Cancer Coordinator, Katherine Treble) who has been so supportive to us over the phone since diagnosis.

“It was a bonus for us that one of the speakers at the conference covered the importance of diet and exercise in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and we have been motivated to improve that aspect of our lives.

“It was very informative to hear from Professor Burger about the emerging treatments for CLL and it was great that he was able to take so many questions from the floor.

“I hope that the Leukemia Foundation can host these events in the future, and I would recommend these forums to anyone living with CLL.”

Kim and Craig Pendelton, CLL patient forum attendees