Herman St. Pierre is 79 years old, a kidney and prostate cancer survivor – and a workout pro.
Herman and his wife Shirlene, also a cancer survivor, are regular visitors at the U-Thrive program, held at the recently-renovated Terrebonne General | Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, in Houma. U-Thrive is a free cancer wellness program that helps patients manage symptoms and enhance their quality of life, primarily through strength and conditioning exercise and nutritional guidance.
“It’s awesome,” Herman says. “They’ll tell you, ‘hey, this is what you need to do.’ There are certain exercises we can’t do, but there are a lot that we do need to do, and they really help make it happen.”
Last year, the Cancer Center finished an over-$4 million renovation. It included adding an expansive infusion suite, a fitness and wellness area, enhanced radiation technology, key cancer support services, and an expansion that grew the facility by more than 15,000 square feet.
The exercise portion of U-Thrive, which is carried out several times a week with the help of certified personal trainer wellness specialists, takes place in a newly-renovated room filled with the latest in targeted fitness equipment. Along with exercise, it also includes nutritional consultations by an oncology-certified registered dietitian.
Herman has been a patient for around eight years. When he first visited the Cancer Center, his outlook was less than encouraging.
“They gave me six months to live about seven years ago,” he recalls. “But I’ve been in remission ever since. Now, I’m not on medication. I’ve come a very long way with (them) – they make you feel really well taken care of.”
Herman’s wife Shirlene is a breast cancer survivor. Herman attests to the effect U-Thrive has had on her quality of life.
“My wife walks around with a walker, and she had experienced a lot of falls,” he says. “But since taking part in the program she’s really pepped up a lot, it’s really helped. Your trainers know your conditions in the first place, and they work really closely with you. Once you’ve joined up, they make you really want to go.”
Terrebonne General and Mary Bird Perkins have partnered to deliver high quality cancer care, close to home, to patients in the Bayou Region since 2008. Along with programs like U-Thrive, they also provide the full spectrum of cancer care, from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and survivorship.
For more information about U-Thrive and other Terrebonne General | Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center support and survivorship programs, please visit marybird.org/survivorship.