New programme helps men rebuild after cancer
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A new pilot programme in Tauranga, New Zealand, offers men recovering from cancer a combination of supervised exercise and peer support. The initiative aims to address the lack of support services for men and reduce the isolation often felt during cancer recovery.
Why it matters
Addressing the psychological and social needs of cancer survivors is essential for holistic recovery and long-term health outcomes.
A Tauranga woman who watched her husband battle cancer in silence is hoping a new recovery programme will ensure other men don't have to face the journey alone.
Rotary Club of Tauranga Te Papa has partnered with Health Quarters, a gym in Willow St, to launch a 12-week pilot programme combining supervised exercise with peer support for men recovering from cancer.
The initiative was inspired by Rotary member Jenny Robertson's experience caring for her late husband Hugh, who lived with prostate cancer before dying in May 2025 of a heart attack linked to the long-term effects of his treatment.
Robertson said they did not hear of any cancer support groups for men in Tauranga during his illness and were not referred to any.
Having twice experienced cancer herself, Robertson said she was struck by the difference in support promoted to women.
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