Philip's story

"I first knew something was wrong when I couldn't get out of the bath. It was October 2019, three months after finishing my chemo treatment. I was giving myself a treat; but where were my muscles now? Why weren’t they working?  I was really scared.

Fortunately, three months earlier, we had attended a pre-radiotherapy session at The Royal Marsden, where Chris Cottrell was one of the speakers. He said that he had been diagnosed with advanced cancer some years before and had had all the treatments - chemotherapy, hormone therapy and radiotherapy; but what struck me forcibly was his testimony that it was as a result of serious exercise and regular walking that he now felt better than ever before. That was the memory that encouraged me to contact him in my moment of panic.

I arranged an appointment with Emily and Chris. The 90-minute interview was one of the most moving, friendly and unthreatening interviews of my life. They seemed really interested in me; I felt in safe hands; I could ask any questions. We discussed family history, personal history, my own family - all sorts. Someone asked what I would like to be able to do within the next six months. Spontaneously I said, 'Visit our youngest daughter and family in Rio, Brazil!’ (COVID blocked that …)

Since then, my monthly exercise sessions with Emily (on FaceTime, because of COVID) have given me back my life in a way I never expected. She is a wonderful teacher who pushes hard, builds up from session to session, and offers great encouragement. I always feel energised after an hour’s hard work, and, along with the walking and other pelvic physio work that I have been doing, I feel so much better and stronger than I did a year ago. I can walk five kilometres in an hour; and I can do two hours of really hard garden work - sawing, chopping, raking - and feel fine afterwards.

I am so grateful to The Exercise Clinic - Chris & Emily - for their enormous encouragement, and for their lovely combination of personal support and professional skill - to say nothing of discussing diet! …"

Philip, 75 years old