Lebed

Focus on Healing

Through Exercise & Movement

For All Cancer Survivors

The Lebed Method®

              An effective, therapeutic program of exercise and movement to music especially designed for all cancer survivors.

• Provides a supportive, safe environment
• Increase range of motion which is often decreased by treatments and/or surgery
• Bond, connect and support one another thereby decreasing fears and social isolation
• Assist in structural rebalancing for posture, coordination, and standing
• Stimulate circulation and the lymphatic immune system
• Promotes positive self-image
• Fosters empowerment
• Reduces depression

All levels of fitness are welcome

When:     Tuesday   - 10:30-11:30 AM

                Thursday - 5:30 - 6:30 PM

                    Classes begin January 6, 2009

Where:       Center for Rehabilitation and Wellness

                     West Entrance, 155 Borthwick Avenue

                            Portsmouth NH 03801

Facilitator:         Lily Sibley, Certified Instructor  Registration:     Pamela Torres, 603-929-7571

                             Community Exercise Coordinator

Detailed Info:    www. portsmouthhospital.com

                              www.lebedmethod.com

BACKGROUND

The Lebed Method: Focus on Healing (FOH) is a therapeutic movement program for women who have had any type of breast cancer intervention, including surgery, node dissection, chemotherapy, radiation and/or plastic surgery.  This established program not only helps regain and maintain range of motion after surgery but is also directed toward reducing the risk of lymphedema, relieving “Frozen Shoulder Syndrome”, preventing or minimizing neck and back pain, and rebalancing the body both physically and emotionally.

Sherry Lebed Davis, a dance movement specialist and breast cancer survivor, along with her two-physician/surgeon brothers, developed the program in 1980.  Data from a study conducted at the Alberta Einstein Medical Center was published in 1986 , indicating that 92% of the women in the study showed positive physical and psychosocial benefits from the program.  Since then, FOH has enjoyed national and international acclaim.  The program has received tremendous response and support from patients, allied health professionals and physicians alike.  One of the guiding purposes of FOH is to lend women support throughout their lives as members of a vast sisterhood. Women who attend an exercise class have opportunities for emotional bonding, education, and the trading of intimate information and tips.  Today, because of new policies from insurance companies in the USA and Canada, women generally have shorter hospital stays.  The surgeon says good-bye, the oncologist says good-bye, the radiologist says good-bye, and yet when the survivor gets home, she finds her difficulties continuing.  Survivors can also feel they have little support, education and guidance from their doctors during recovery from breast cancer.  Taking control of her well being can be very empowering at a time when a woman feels she has lost control.

FOH is a registered trade name and the “Lebed Method” is a licensed procedure.  As such, any individual who wishes to teach the program must be licensed by FOH.  Licensing requirement includes an intensive 3-day Instructors’ Training Workshop, experiential hands-on laboratory sessions and a written exam.  Successful candidates graduate with the CLM (Certified Lebed Method) designation.  A co-developer of the program, Dr. Marc Lebed continues to serve as the FOH medical director and advisor.   Dr. Lebed advises FOH regarding the medical efficacy of all exercises used in the program, helps with the certification/training format and is responsible for the continued quality assurance of FOH through the development of on-going questionnaires and re-certifications for all certified and licensed teachers.

Based out of Lynnwood, Washington, Sherry continues to publish articles on the benefits of the program, travels across the United States and Canada to present and facilitate workshops and certification trainings.. In addition to facilitating FOH workshops, Sherry also does presentations to breast cancer survivors and allied health professional groups.  She has appeared on several prominent television programs including Lifetime, Weekend Today Show, BBC, ABC-TV, NBC-TV, PAX-TV and others. Sherry and FOH have been seen in People Magazine, two issues of MAMM Magazine, Coping, Dance Teacher, BBW, Cancer and You, Hope, LA Times, NY Times, Seattle Times and many more.  Sherry has written a book, published by Broadway Books a division of Random House, entitled Thriving After Breast Cancer.  This book is recommended by Dr. Susan Love, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Beth Israel and many other well known surgeons, hospitals and cancer centers. A new release of the video “The Lebed Method: Focus on Healing Through Therapeutic Exercise and Movement” is now available.

Currently, Sherry is doing certification training to M. D.’s, PhD’s, allied health professionals, fitness specialists, dance therapists, lymphedema therapists, as well as people who want to further their education and knowledge of breast cancer and bring FOH into their communities. She is finding these requests rapidly growing, therefore, a program to Train the Trainer has begun, enabling more training to certify teachers per year across Canada and the US.

“Physical Therapy and Dance in the Surgical Management of Breast Cancer:  A Clinical Report” Physical Therapy: Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association. 1986.  66(6):967-969.