Overview

Physical activity is safe and beneficial for children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with cancer. However, few physical activity opportunities are available for young people diagnosed with cancer. This is partly because cancer is rare in young people, and so it is hard to create opportunities that can be accessed by everyone.

In my research, I create and test physical activity interventions that consider the needs of young people diagnosed with cancer. I work with children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with cancer, their parents, cancer support organizations, exercise professionals, healthcare providers, and researchers to create online physical activity interventions that are safe and accessible. I implement and test these physical activity interventions in pragmatic trials across Canada. My work seeks to improve the health of young people diagnosed with cancer through the inclusion of physical activity.

Publications

A qualitative interview study exploring the psychological health impacts of the SPIN-CHAT program among people with systemic sclerosis at the onset of COVID-19: perceptions of trial participants and research team members
Disability and Rehabilitation
Amanda Wurz and Delaney Duchek and Kelsey Ellis and Mannat Bansal and Marie-Eve Carrier and Lydia Tao and Laura Dyas and Linda Kwakkenbos and Brooke Levis and Ghassan El-Baalbaki and Danielle B. Rice and Yin Wu and Richard S. Henry and Laura Bustamante and Sami Harb and Shannon Hebblethwaite and Scott B. Patten and Susan J. Bartlett and John Varga and Luc Mouthon and Sarah Markham and Brett D. Thombs and S. Nicole Culos-Reed
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2169775
01/2024

Describing Supportive Care Programming Access and Comfort Gathering through the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Observational Mixed Methods Study with Adults Affected by Cancer
Current Oncology
Amanda Wurz and Anna Janzen and Kelsey Ellis and Iris Lesser and Nafeel Arshad
DOI: 10.3390/curroncol30030198
02/2023

"I feel like my body is broken": exploring the experiences of people living with long COVID
Quality of Life Research
Amanda Wurz and S. Nicole Culos-Reed and Kelli Franklin and Jessica DeMars and James G. Wrightson and Rosie Twomey
DOI: 10.1007/s11136-022-03176-1
12/2022

The physicAl aCtivity Counselling for young adult cancEr SurvivorS (ACCESS) trial: A protocol for a parallel, two-arm pilot randomized controlled trial
PLOS ONE
Jennifer Brunet and Jenson Price and Amirrtha Srikanthan and Fiona Gillison and Martyn Standage and Monica Taljaard and Mark R. Beauchamp and Jennifer Reed and Amanda Wurz
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273045
12/2022

From laboratory to community: Three examples of moving evidence-based physical activity into practice in Canada
Health & Social Care in the Community
Amanda Wurz and Corliss Bean and Majidullah Shaikh and S. Nicole Culos-Reed and Mary E. Jung
DOI: 10.1111/hsc.13596
09/2022

Boxing with Parkinson’s Disease: findings from a qualitative study using self-determination theory
Disability and Rehabilitation
Jennifer Brunet and Jenson Price and Amanda Wurz and Meghan McDonough and Julie Nantel
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2021.1891465
07/2022

“I feel like my body is broken”: Exploring the experiences of people living with long COVID
Amanda Wurz and S. Nicole Culos-Reed and Kelli Franklin and Jessica DeMars and James G. Wrightson and Rosie Twomey
DOI: 10.1101/2022.01.20.22269617
01/2022

Exploring Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Posttraumatic Growth among Children Living beyond Cancer and Their Parents Using an Actor–Partner Interdependence Model
Cancers
Amanda Wurz and Michaela Patton and Erin L. Merz and Sharon H. J. Hou and Sara Cho and Fiona Schulte
DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030704
01/2022

Effects of a support group leader education program jointly developed by health professionals and patients on peer leader self-efficacy among leaders of scleroderma support groups: a two-arm parallel partially nested randomised controlled trial
Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases
Thombs, B.D. and Levis, B. and Carrier, M.-E. and Dyas, L. and Nordlund, J. and Tao, L. and Aguila, K. and Bourgeault, A. and Konrad, V. and Sauv{\'e}, M. and Connolly, K. and Henry, R.S. and ?stb?, N. and Levis, A.W. and Kwakkenbos, L. and Malcarne, V.L. and El-Baalbaki, G. and Hudson, M. and Wurz, A. and Culos-Reed, S.N. and Platt, R.W. and Benedetti, A. and Elrod, S. and Fortun{\'e}, C. and Gietzen, A. and Gottesman, K. and Nielsen, K. and Richard, M. and Rozee, K. and Stephens, N.
DOI: 10.1186/s13023-022-02552-x
2022

Exploring the Effects of Yoga Therapy on Heart Rate Variability and Patient-Reported Outcomes After Cancer Treatment: A Study Protocol
Integrative Cancer Therapies
Brunet, J. and Wurz, A. and Hussien, J. and Pitman, A. and Conte, E. and Ennis, J.K. and Herry, C.L. and Seely, A.J.E. and Seely, D.
DOI: 10.1177/15347354221075576
2022

Editorial: Exercise and childhood cancer
Frontiers in Pediatrics
Mizrahi, D. and Wurz, A. and G{\"o}tte, M.
DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.1097836
2022

Exploring Yoga Instructors’ Experiences Delivering Yoga to Children and Adolescents Affected by Cancer or Blood Disease
International Journal of Yoga Therapy
DOI: 10.17761/2022-d-21-00068
2022

Physical activity behaviors and attitudes among women with an eating disorder: a qualitative study
Journal of Eating Disorders
Jennifer Brunet and Francis Del Duchetto and Amanda Wurz
DOI: 10.1186/s40337-021-00377-w
12/2021

A proof-of-concept sub-study exploring feasibility and preliminary evidence for the role of physical activity on neural activity during executive functioning tasks among young adults after cancer treatment
BMC Neurology
Amanda Wurz and Gladys Ayson and Andra M. Smith and Jennifer Brunet
DOI: 10.1186/s12883-021-02280-y
12/2021

Preliminary Evidence of Improvement in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors’ Brain Health Following Physical Activity: A Proof-of-Concept Sub-Study
Brain Plasticity
Maude Lambert and Amanda Wurz and Andra M. Smith and Zhuo Fang and Jennifer Brunet
DOI: 10.3233/BPL-210124
10/2021

The international Pediatric Oncology Exercise Guidelines (iPOEG)
Translational Behavioral Medicine
Amanda Wurz and Emma McLaughlin and Conné Lategan and Carolina Chamorro Viña and Sarah L Grimshaw and Lotta Hamari and Miriam Götte and Sabine Kesting and Francesca Rossi and Patrick van der Torre and Gregory M T Guilcher and Krista McIntyre and S Nicole Culos-Reed
DOI: 10.1093/tbm/ibab028
10/2021

Current Evidence and Directions for Future Research in eHealth Physical Activity Interventions for Adults Affected by Cancer: Systematic Review
JMIR Cancer
Manuel Ester and Maximilian Eisele and Amanda Wurz and Meghan H McDonough and Margaret McNeely and S Nicole Culos-Reed
DOI: 10.2196/28852
09/2021

Understanding adolescents’ and young adults’ self-perceptions after cancer treatment in the context of a two-arm, mixed-methods pilot randomized controlled physical activity trial
Supportive Care in Cancer
Amanda Wurz and Jenson Price and Jennifer Brunet
DOI: 10.1007/s00520-020-05974-0
08/2021

Synthesizing the literature on physical activity among children and adolescents affected by cancer: evidence for the international Pediatric Oncology Exercise Guidelines (iPOEG)
Translational Behavioral Medicine
Amanda Wurz and Emma McLaughlin and Conné Lategan and Kelsey Ellis and S Nicole Culos-Reed
DOI: 10.1093/tbm/ibaa136
04/2021

Current Evidence and Directions for Future Research in eHealth Physical Activity Interventions for Adults Affected by Cancer: Systematic Review (Preprint)
Manuel Ester and Maximilian Eisele and Amanda Wurz and Meghan H McDonough and Margaret McNeely and S Nicole Culos-Reed
DOI: 10.2196/preprints.28852
03/2021

Advancing the Field of Pediatric Exercise Oncology: Research and Innovation Needs
Current Oncology
Amanda Wurz and Emma McLaughlin and Carolina Chamorro Viña and Sarah L. Grimshaw and Lotta Hamari and Miriam Götte and Sabine Kesting and Francesca Rossi and Patrick van der Torre and Gregory M. T. Guilcher and Krista McIntyre and S. Nicole Culos-Reed
DOI: 10.3390/curroncol28010061
01/2021

Using a dyadic approach to explore parental support for physical activity among young cancer survivors
Disability and Rehabilitation
Price, J. and Wurz, A. and Ramphal, R. and Wilson, K. and Brunet, J.
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2020.1712621
2021

Moving Online? How to Effectively Deliver Virtual Fitness
ACSM's Health and Fitness Journal
Culos-Reed, N. and Wurz, A. and Dowd, J. and Capozzi, L.
DOI: 10.1249/FIT.0000000000000643
2021

The Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network Self-Management (SPIN-SELF) Program: protocol for a two-arm parallel partially nested randomized controlled feasibility trial with progression to full-scale trial
Trials
Nordlund, J. and Henry, R.S. and Kwakkenbos, L. and Carrier, M.-E. and Levis, B. and Nielson, W.R. and Bartlett, S.J. and Dyas, L. and Tao, L. and Fedoruk, C. and Nielsen, K. and Hudson, M. and Pope, J. and Frech, T. and Gholizadeh, S. and Johnson, S.R. and Piotrowski, P. and Jewett, L.R. and Gordon, J. and Chung, L. and Bilsker, D. and Levis, A.W. and Turner, K.A. and Cumin, J. and Welling, J. and Fortun{\'e}, C. and Leite, C. and Gottesman, K. and Sauve, M. and Rodr{\'i}guez-Reyna, T.S. and Larche, M. and van Breda, W. and Suarez-Almazor, M.E. and Wurz, A. and Culos-Reed, N. and Malcarne, V.L. and Mayes, M.D. and Boutron, I. and Mouthon, L. and Benedetti, A. and Thombs, B.D. and Riggs, R. and Assassi, S. and El-Baalbaki, G. and Ells, C. and van den Ende, C. and Fligelstone, K. and Gietzen, A. and Guillot, G. and Harel, D. and Hinchcliff, M. and Nguyen, C. and Rannou, F. and Richard, M. and Schouffoer, A.A. and Agard, C. and Abdallah, N.A. and Albert, A. and Andr{\'e}, M. and Bernstein, E.J. and Berthier, S. and Bissonnette, L. and Bruns, A. and Carreira, P. and Casadevall, M. and Chaigne, B. and Correia, C. and Crichi, B. and Denton, C. and Domsic, R. and Dunne, J.V. and Dunogue, B. and Fare, R. and Farge-Bancel, D. and Fortin, P.R. and Granel-Rey, B. and Gyger, G. and Hachulla, E. and Herrick, A.L. and Hoa, S. and Ikic, A. and Jones, N. and Kafaja, S. and Khalidi, N. and Lambert, M. and Launay, D. and Maillard, H. and Maltez, N. and Manning, J. and Marie, I. and Martin, M. and Martin, T. and Masetto, A. and Maurier, F. and Mekinian, A. and Melchor, S. and Nikpour, M. and Olagne, L. and Poindron, V. and Proudman, S. and R{\'e}gent, A. and Rivi{\`e}re, S. and Robinson, D. and Rodriguez, E. and Roux, S. and Smets, P. and Sobanski, V. and Spiera, R. and Steen, V. and Sutton, E. and Thorne, C. and Varga, J. and Wilcox, P. and Bourgeault, A. and Ayala, M.C. and Jim{\'e}nez, A.C. and Discepola, M.-N. and Gagarine, M. and ?stb?, N.
DOI: 10.1186/s13063-021-05827-z
2021

An experimental study revisiting the link between media attention and breast cancer concern: exploring the role of cognitive fusion
Women and Health
Aguirre-Camacho, A. and Rash, J.A. and Hidalgo, B. and Wurz, A. and Garland, S.N.
DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2021.2002999
2021

Effects of a multi-faceted education and support programme on anxiety symptoms among people with systemic sclerosis and anxiety during COVID-19 (SPIN-CHAT): a two-arm parallel, partially nested, randomised, controlled trial
The Lancet Rheumatology
Thombs, B.D. and Kwakkenbos, L. and Levis, B. and Bourgeault, A. and Henry, R.S. and Levis, A.W. and Harb, S. and Tao, L. and Carrier, M.-E. and Bustamante, L. and Duchek, D. and Dyas, L. and El-Baalbaki, G. and Ellis, K. and Rice, D.B. and Wurz, A. and Nordlund, J. and Gagarine, M. and Turner, K.A. and ?stb?, N. and Culos-Reed, N. and Hebblethwaite, S. and Patten, S. and Bartlett, S.J. and Varga, J. and Mouthon, L. and Markham, S. and Martin, M.S. and Benedetti, A.
DOI: 10.1016/S2665-9913(21)00060-6
2021

Health beliefs and engagement in moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity among cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study
Supportive Care in Cancer
Price, J. and Barrett-Bernstein, M. and Wurz, A. and Karvinen, K.H. and Brunet, J.
DOI: 10.1007/s00520-020-05515-9
2021

Childhood Cancer Survivorship: Daily Challenges.
Pediatric clinics of North America
DOI: 10.1016/j.pcl.2020.07.004
PubMed: 33131536
09/2020

The Process of Self-Management: A Qualitative Case Study Reporting on Cancer Survivors’ and Program Staff’s Experiences Within One Self-Management Support Intervention
Health Education & Behavior
Jennifer Brunet and Amanda Wurz and Deeksha Srivastava
DOI: 10.1177/1090198120902029
08/2020

A systematic review summarizing the effect of health care provider-delivered physical activity interventions on physical activity behaviour in cancer survivors
Patient Education and Counseling
Jennifer Brunet and Amanda Wurz and Patrick Abi Nader and Mathieu Bélanger
DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.02.002
07/2020

Exploring cardiologists’ and oncologists’ exercise recommendation and referral practices
Health Education Journal
Heather J Leach and Kelli A LeBreton and Amanda J Wurz and Mackenzi Pergolotti and Barry Braun and Steven R Schuster and Patrick Green
DOI: 10.1177/0017896919876311
04/2020

Describing and exploring self-esteem, physical self-perceptions, physical activity and self-efficacy in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors
European Journal of Cancer Care
Amanda Wurz and Jennifer Brunet
DOI: 10.1111/ecc.13179
01/2020

Posttraumatic growth and its correlates among survivors of adolescent and young adult cancer: A brief report
Journal of Psychosocial Oncology
Barrett-Bernstein, M. and Wurz, A. and Brunet, J.
DOI: 10.1080/07347332.2019.1664702
2020

Exploring the feasibility and acceptability of a mixed-methods pilot randomized controlled trial testing a 12-week physical activity intervention with adolescent and young adult cancer survivors
Pilot and Feasibility Studies
Amanda Wurz and Jennifer Brunet
DOI: 10.1186/s40814-019-0530-6
12/2019

Exploring Physical Self-Perceptions Among Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer
Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology
Amanda Wurz and Jennifer Brunet
DOI: 10.1089/jayao.2018.0110
06/2019

Physical activity programs for children diagnosed with cancer: an international environmental scan
Supportive Care in Cancer
Amanda Wurz and Julia Daeggelmann and Natalia Albinati and Liam Kronlund and Carolina Chamorro-Vi{\~{n}}a and S. Nicole Culos-Reed
DOI: 10.1007/s00520-019-04669-5
04/2019

Translating Research to Practice: Taking the Next Step to get Children Diagnosed with Cancer Moving
Annals of Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy
Julia Daeggelmann
DOI: 10.23880/aphot-16000141
2019

A scoping review of studies exploring physical activity among adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer
Psycho-Oncology
Jennifer Brunet and Amanda Wurz and Shirin M. Shallwani
DOI: 10.1002/pon.4743
08/2018

Social adjustment and repressive adaptive style in survivors of pediatric cancer.
Journal of psychosocial oncology
DOI: 10.1080/07347332.2018.1431754
PubMed: 29452053
02/2018

Cycling Through Cancer: Exploring Childhood Cancer Survivors' Experiences of Well- and Ill-Being.
Adapted physical activity quarterly : APAQ
DOI: 10.1123/apaq.2016-0011
PubMed: 28942675
09/2017

Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Cancer Survivors: A Meta-Synthesis of Qualitative Research.
Cancers
DOI: 10.3390/cancers9050053
PubMed: 28531109
05/2017

Evaluating Questionnaires Used to Assess Self-Reported Physical Activity and Psychosocial Outcomes Among Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer: A Cognitive Interview Study.
Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology
DOI: 10.1089/jayao.2017.0005
PubMed: 28430009
04/2017

The effectiveness of health care provider physical activity recommendations in cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.
Systematic reviews
DOI: 10.1186/s13643-017-0453-3
PubMed: 28347351
03/2017

Yoga Helps Put the Pieces Back Together: A Qualitative Exploration of a Community-Based Yoga Program for Cancer Survivors.
Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
DOI: 10.1155/2016/1832515
PubMed: 27974899
11/2016

The Effects of Physical Activity on Health and Quality of Life in Adolescent Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review.
JMIR cancer
DOI: 10.2196/cancer.5431
PubMed: 28410184
05/2016

A Systematic Review Protocol to Assess the Effects of Physical Activity on Health and Quality of Life Outcomes in Adolescent Cancer Survivors.
JMIR research protocols
DOI: 10.2196/resprot.5383
PubMed: 27030210
03/2016

Quality of Life in Survivors of Pediatric Cancer and Their Siblings: The Consensus Between Parent-Proxy and Self-Reports.
Pediatric blood & cancer
DOI: 10.1002/pbc.25868
PubMed: 26739262
01/2016

Ankle Dorsiflexion in Childhood Cancer Patients: A Review of the Literature.
Cancer nursing
DOI: 10.1097/ncc.0000000000000223
PubMed: 25730588
11/2015

Breast cancer survivors' barriers and motives for participating in a group-based physical activity program offered in the community.
Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
DOI: 10.1007/s00520-014-2596-2
PubMed: 25605568
01/2015

Ankle dorsiflexion in childhood cancer patients: A review of the literature
Cancer Nursing
Beulertz, J. and Wurz, A. and Culos-Reed, N. and Vi{\~n}a, C.C. and Bloch, W. and Baumann, F.T.
DOI: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000223
2015

The feasibility and benefits of a 12-week yoga intervention for pediatric cancer out-patients.
Pediatric blood & cancer
DOI: 10.1002/pbc.25096
PubMed: 24938424
06/2014

Associations between attention, affect and cardiac activity in a single yoga session for female cancer survivors: an enactive neurophenomenology-based approach.
Consciousness and cognition
DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2014.04.005
PubMed: 24879038
05/2014

Promoting physical activity in pediatric oncology. Where do we go from here?
Frontiers in oncology
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2013.00173
PubMed: 23875168
07/2013

Translating knowledge: a framework for evidence-informed yoga programs in oncology.
International journal of yoga therapy
PubMed: 24165528
01/2013

EXERCISE in pediatric autologous stem cell transplant patients: a randomized controlled trial protocol.
BMC cancer
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-12-401
PubMed: 22963378
09/2012

Research

Exploring the effectiveness and implementation of the IMPACT program: A physical activity program for children and adolescents on treatment for cancer
We co-created, with key stakeholders, a tailored, 1:1, online physical activity intervention called ‘IMPACT’ (IMplementation of Physical Activity for Children and adolescents on Treatment). We are testing IMPACT using a study that explores the effect of the intervention and aspects of implementation. Children and adolescents aged 5-18 years, with any cancer diagnosis, currently receiving, scheduled to receive treatment, or completed treatment

Yoga for young adults diagnosed with cancer
Young adults affected by cancer face physical and psychological challenges and desire online supportive care. Yoga is one strategy that can be delivered online and that may improve physical and psychological outcomes. Yet, yoga has rarely been studied in this population. I work with young adults to develop relevant yoga interventions and trials. Most recently, we conducted a pilot trial evaluating an 8-week yoga intervention, and are currently conducting a full-scale trial evaluating the revised, 12-week yoga intervention. We are finding that yoga may confer physical and psychological benefits for this population.

The international Pediatric Oncology Exercise Guidelines (iPOEG) and network
Guideline and recommendation statements can help change individual physical activity behavior and practice. To develop such statements, rigorous guideline development procedures, stakeholder engagement strategies, and the Delphi technique were used. Four online surveys were distributed to an international network (n=131 experts). Surveys asked closed- and open-ended questions informed by a literature synthesis and an in-person meeting. Findings from the online surveys resulted in the international Pediatric Oncology Exercise Guidelines (iPOEG) statements, which highlight that it is time for children and adolescents affected by cancer to ‘move more’. Our network continues to grow and today has >190 international experts from >30 countries.

Grants

2022-2024. Exploring the effectiveness and implementation of the IMPACT program: A physical activity program for children and adolescents on treatment for cancer. Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant. Co-PI

2021-2022. Exploring the benefits of an 8-week online yoga program for young adults affected by cancer. University of the Fraser Valley Initiate Fund. PI

2019-2021. Co-creating in-hospital physical activity programming to enhance health for children during treatment for cancer. Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research. PI

2019. Pediatric oncology and exercise international roundtable meeting. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Co-I

Honours & Awards

Early Career Investigator Award, Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology

Franklin Henry Young Scientist Award in Exercise Psychology