OUR VISION

Oncology Yoga is prescribed and available for all those touched by cancer.

What do we do

What is Oncology Yoga?

yoga4cancer (or y4c) is an evidence-informed Oncology Yoga method tailored to address the specific physical and emotional needs left by the cancer and cancer treatments. The approach matches breath and movement to stimulate the immune system, improve flexibility & strength, reduce anxiety and boost overall well-being.

Based on the latest research and recommendations, we mitigate the short and long term side effects that cancer patients and survivors face like bone loss, lymphedema, scar tissue, constipation, neuropathy, fatigue, anxiety and many more.

Oncology yoga is designed to help cancer survivors achieve the American Cancer Society and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services exercise recommendation of between 150 – 320 minutes of exercise per week to speed recovery or defend against cancer reoccurrence.

yoga4cancer aspires to:

Empower Cancer Patients and Survivors: Provide free tools and resources on Oncology Yoga to enhance physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Educate and Train Professionals: Offer comprehensive training programs, workshops, and events to yoga and healthcare professionals to ensure safe and effective practices.

Ensure Accessibility: Make yoga available and accessible to all individuals touched by cancer.

Build a Supportive Community: Foster a network of support and connection among cancer patients, survivors, and their families.

Advocate for Integration into Cancer Care: Promote the incorporation of yoga into standard cancer treatment protocols through research and advocacy efforts.

What is a yoga4cancer Class?

A yoga4cancer class, private or therapy session is tailored to address the specific needs of cancer patients and survivors in safe and effective intervention. Each session will:

build strength and flexibility
strengthen the immune system and the lymphatic function
reduce cancer related fatigue
improve sleep and reduce anxiety
increase bone density
help manage common side effects like lymphedema, constipation and neuropathy
and encourage survivors to participate in their wellness plan

Expert Approved

Oncologists recommend yoga.

Yoga seems an obvious path for cancer patients and survivors coping with difficult treatments and their ongoing side effects. In fact, oncologist and cancer organizations are recommending yoga and exercise as part of a cancer survivors recovery and management plan.

Both the American Cancer Society and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends between to 150 – 320 minutes of yoga per week to speed recovery or defend against cancer occurrence and reoccurrence. The 2018 guidelines highlighted that an active yoga practice (mentioning Vinyasa) was necessary.

But, not all yoga is the same and for cancer survivors the needs are different.

- True compassion flows from knowledge and facts.

- Without specific training, a yoga professional is not equipped to understand the unique physical and emotional needs and challenges of those touched by cancer.

- Over the past decade, the volume of research to support yoga as a safe and effective way to manage cancer side-effects has grown.

Our evidence informed Oncology Yoga method and training programs provide the education, support and advocacy so that cancer patients and survivors achieve the exercise guidelines in safe and effective ways.

People are Talking About us

Words from our Community

In general, limitations, life-long side effects and vulnerabilities imposed by surgeries and cancer treatments are a kept secret. When the treatments are finished, you get to go home, alone, to sort out the mess. During my own recovery, I observed that yoga helped me in ways I did not anticipate. It continues to be my personal powerful tool of survival, or, as I now call my thrival.

I use the expression, “life-changing” very sparingly, but yoga4cancer was just that. Every bit of what I learned was critical information to teach yoga to students with cancer. This training provided me with practical and important tools and knowledge to teach safe and effective classes.

The survivor yoga class has been an emotional and physical bridge to my recovery. I started my yoga with the group before my chemo. This kind of support cannot be found in a "regular" yoga class.

I loved my experience with yoga4cancer. I thought I was going for the asana and returned home with a deeper knowledge and a better understanding to cancer treatments, and how the human body responds to yoga. What a great experience with Y4C, such an eye opener. I will now teach yoga with a greater awareness.

Tari Prinster

Tari Prinster is a cancer survivor, master yoga teacher, celebrated author and founder of yoga4cancer and the yoga4cancer Foundation (501c3), which bring evidenced informed Oncology Yoga to cancer survivors worldwide.

Tari’s organization has trained over 3,000 professionals worldwide and supports research to assess the contributions of yoga. Yoga4cancer advocates for Oncology Yoga in both private and public sector and organizations.

Tari and her global community have seen the benefits to recovery that Oncology Yoga provides —before, during and after treatment.

Her book, Yoga for Cancer: A Guide to Managing Side Effects, Boosting Immunity, and Improving Recovery for Cancer Survivors, is an illustrated guide for cancer survivors available in English, Spanish and Japanese. It is highly reviewed and sold over 15,000 copies world wide.

Tari also contributed to ‘Yoga Therapy Across the Cancer Care Continuum‘ by Leigh Leibel and Anne Pitman.

Leadership

Josi Kytle – Co Founder, Executive Director
Dale O’Reilly – Director
Teri Richardson Gandy – Board Member, Senior Teacher & Presenter
Jeannine Bishop – Board Member and Senior Teacher
Lindsey Pearson – Board Member, Teacher and Meditation Specialist
Sheilagh Falcigno – Board Member
Stephanee Howell – Senior Teacher and Hospital Integration Liaison
Carolyn Kirshner – Senior Teacher & Medical Advisor
Laura Hernandez – Senior Teacher and Tri Lingual Lead (Spanish, French and English)
Clare Patterson – Senior Teacher, Therapist in Training and MSK Liason
Karen Apostolina – Senior Teacher, Yoga Therapist and Hospital Integration Liaison.
Jana Hicks – Senior Teacher

THE ONCOLOGY YOGA BOOK

Yoga for Cancer – The Book

Tari Prinster, the founder of yoga4cancer, literally wrote the book on Oncology Yoga. As published in 2014, ‘Yoga for Cancer: A Guide to Managing Side Effects, Boosting Immunity, and Improving Recovery for Cancer Survivors’ is the leading book to support cancer patients and survivors to manage their recovery. With all 5-Star reviews, its a perfect complement to any daily practice.