Jeannie Larson (left) created the L.I.F.E. after Breast Cancer program and Mary Jackson, director of Patient and Family Services, gave it a home at CTRC.
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Jeannie Larson watched her mom live with breast cancer for nine years before her death when Jeannie was just 15 years old.

Using lessons learned from her mother backed by ample research, Larson now is leading a new educational group at the Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio. She calls it L.I.F.E. after Breast Cancer (Life Invigorating Food and Exercise). She hopes 10 to 15 women will join her each Wednesday night for eight weeks starting Jan. 20.

“Mom was diagnosed at age 35 and given a year to live,” Larson recalled. “She lived for nine years, through four recurrences of cancer. She changed the way she ate and exercised. We went running and rollerblading together. It improved her quality of life and the length of her life.”

Related links: L.I.F.E. after Breast Cancer classes at a glance

Reaching out to breast cancer survivors
As a mother staying at home with her young children, Larson began to think about how to reach out to breast cancer survivors. “If you’ve had breast cancer, you’ve had a moment to confront your mortality,” she observed. “Often this experience gives women the desire and the opportunity to make some healthy adjustments to their lifestyle. But they don’t always know exactly what to do.”

With a college major in psychology and a master’s degree in social work, Larson began to develop an eight-week curriculum during her young children’s naptimes and bedtimes, and with the support of her husband, Seth Larson, a third-year Health Science Center dental student. She brought the idea of the program to the CTRC’s director of Patient and Family Services, Mary Jackson, M.S.N., RN, OCN, who responded with enthusiasm.

Providing transitional support and education
“Patients will tell me that after their treatment ends, they feel like their safety net is gone,” Jackson said. “Programs like this one provide a transition from life as a patient to life as a survivor.”

While the program may be home-grown, its leaders have involved a number of experts to ensure that the content is accurate and the activities are safe and effective. CTRC breast oncologist Richard Elledge, M.D., clinical professor of hematology and medical oncology, has reviewed all of the content. CTRC dietitian Jenny Guerra, M.S., RD, LD, will be a frequent speaker and will lead two cooking classes. Sonya Arzola, an exercise physiologist at Brooke Army Medical Center, will speak about the effects of exercise on health and longevity.

“As I did my research, I learned that simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference,” Larson said. “Very moderate exercise can show great benefits. The same is true with adding new foods to our diet. I now view food as having greater purpose — to keep me healthy.”

Foundation support provides classes at no charge
The program is offered at no cost to participants, thanks to a grant from the Ensign & Lewis Foundation for Breast Cancer Research and Education. The philanthropy was established by Larson’s parents before her mother’s death.

The group will meet from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. each Wednesday in the CTRC library, located on first floor Grossman Building, 7979 Wurzbach (corner of Floyd Curl). Optional daily exercise (walking, gentle yoga) will be offered each morning at a time to be determined.

Registration information
To register for the series of classes starting Jan. 20, call (210) 450-5574. People who cannot attend this series have three more options. Other eight-week sessions will begin in April, July and October.