Could fitness be key to cancer surgery success?

A new keep fit regime might be last thing on the minds of many people diagnosed with cancer - but not Harry Johnstone.

He faced a daunting regime of scans, X-rays, biopsies and five intensive weeks of chemo-radiotherapy.

But with just six weeks to go until surgery Harry is the fittest he has been for years and feeling positive about the outcome.

Inspired by his doctors, Harry is the proud owner of a new exercise bike and sweats it out at home four times a week.

"They kept saying the fitter you are the better you'll recover from surgery so I wanted to be as fit as I can be going into surgery," he said.


Harry was motivated to buy his bike after taking part in a pilot study at Aintree University Hospital, Liverpool. Patients are invited by Malcolm West, surgical registrar and expert in bowel cancer, to jump on exercise bikes to get into shape for surgery.

Read more -  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21627235