On Thursday 21 March, 28 ActWELL volunteer lifestyle coaches joined Breast Cancer Now and the ActWELL trial team at the V & A in Dundee to celebrate the trial’s achievements to date.
ActWELL is a research trial that seeks to reduce women’s risk of developing breast cancer by helping them make sustainable lifestyle changes, focusing on physical activity, diet and body weight. Women aged over 50 attending their routine breast screening appointments have been invited to take part in the trial, which is being delivered across Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
On Thursday 21 March, 28 ActWELL volunteer lifestyle coaches joined Breast Cancer Now and the ActWELL trial team at the V&A in Dundee to celebrate the trial’s achievements to date.
Breast Cancer Now and ActWELL
Breast Cancer Now has supported the delivery of ActWELL by providing a team of volunteer lifestyle coaches to deliver a lifestyle intervention to participants. Lifestyle coaches are supporting women who have been recruited to the trial over 12 months, carrying out two face-to-face lifestyle coaching sessions and nine follow-up telephone support sessions.
Since the three-year trial began in May 2017, Breast Cancer Now has received over 170 applications from people who wanted to volunteer their time as a lifestyle coach. In total, 66 volunteers have been trained to deliver the intervention with 45 people actively taking on participants across the four cities.
At the event, Professor Annie Anderson (below), from the University of Dundee, gave an update on the trial’s progress to date. In total, 560 women were recruited to the study. Of this group, 279 participants were randomly selected to receive the full ActWELL lifestyle intervention and 281 participants were allocated to a control group who did not receive any support. Over 100 participants have now completed the 12-month programme.
The coaching sessions
Face-to-face coaching sessions have formed an integral part of the trial, with over 550 face-to-face coaching sessions in participating leisure centres having taken place and over 1800 phone calls been made with women in the intervention group. In addition, 49 women within the control group, who have now completed the trial, have also registered their interest to meet with a lifestyle coach to receive a one-off coaching session.
Fiona Hazell, Director of Communications and Engagement at Breast Cancer Now, highlighted the importance of projects like ActWELL in achieving our ambition. She said:
"ActWELL is a real first for Breast Cancer Now and we couldn’t be more excited to be part of the work. We’re working to raise awareness that breast cancer is preventable, so more women understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle and that breast cancer is not just down to fate.
"This project would not be possible without the level of support, commitment and enthusiasm each of the ActWELL lifestyle coaches has shown. Thank you all for taking the time to come and celebrate with us today. It’s fantastic to see so many of you here and a testament to the commitment you have all shown to your role in ActWELL. Thank you!"
ActWELL volunteers
At the event, Volunteers were given time to reflect on their own experiences and individual contributions to the ActWELL project. They received some of the feedback taken from trial participant evaluations on their experiences of the support they received from lifestyle coaches.
"My lifestyle coach was endlessly encouraging and realistic."
"I found her really encouraging and non-judgemental. Knowing I would talk to her spurred me on."
"It would be great if more people could have access and support like this."
"My lifestyle coach was fantastic at keeping me motivated, even through very difficult times."
The ActWELL lifestyle coaches
Breast Cancer Now also received some wonderful feedback from lifestyle coaches on their involvement in ActWELL and what it has meant to be part of the ActWELL team.
During the event, we asked lifestyle coaches to tell us ‘What have you taken away from their experience on the ActWELL project’. These are some of the comments we received:
"It really has been fantastic to hear volunteers had such a positive experience delivering the project."
"I feel that I have made a big difference to the lives of the participants I have met over the course of the trial."
"What I have taken from this project is the effects that these interventions have had on the participants, our children and grandchildren!"
"The health struggle is real for us all and ActWELL/ Breast Cancer Now is helping us all to address this in a positive and non-judgemental way."
"I really enjoyed meeting new people and seeing their sense of achievement."
Everyone at Breast Cancer Now is very much looking forward to hearing the results of the trial after it concludes later this year. In the meantime, you can find out more about the ActWELL team by clicking below.