BC Children's Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) Research Find a Researcher

Amanda Wurz

PhD

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital

Physical activity is feasible, safe, beneficial, and recommended for young people diagnosed with cancer. Yet, there are several barriers to physical activity in this cohort. In my research, I work with young people diagnosed with cancer to create and test physical activity interventions. 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.

Academic Affiliations

Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Fraser Valley
Research Theme: Childhood Diseases
Research Group(s): Childhood Cancer and Blood Research

Contact Information

Location

University of the Fraser Valley, 45190 Caen Ave, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, V2R 0N3

amanda.wurz@ufv.ca

Move Well Lab

Social Support in Physical Activity Interventions for Adults: An Overview of Reviews

Kinesiology Review

Craig, B.-A.P. and Morrison, L. and McDonough, M.H. and Sabiston, C.M. and Bennett, E. and Dor{\'e}, I. and Won, S. and Manzara, P. and Culos-Reed, S.N. and Hewson, J. and Kenny, S.J. and Zimmer, C. and Wurz, A. and Stone, K. and Jones, S. and Toohey, A. and Giancarlo, A. and White, K. and McDonough, R.

DOI: 10.1123/kr.2024-0026

Response to letter regarding Experiences of young adults affected by cancer within an 8-week yoga intervention delivered by videoconference: a qualitative interview study

Annals of Medicine

Wurz, A. and McLaughlin, E. and Culos-Reed, S.N.

DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2445184

Protocol for a two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial to evaluate patient and researcher co-presentation of research results: the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network-Patients Alongside Investigators in Research-Sharing (SPIN-PAIRS) trial

Trials

Nassar, E.-L. and Wurz, A. and Carrier, M.-E. and Golberg, M. and Adams, C. and Kwakkenbos, L. and Hoa, S. and Benedetti, A. and Thombs, B.D.

DOI: 10.1186/s13063-025-09256-0

Exploring Acceptability, Feasibility, and Impact of Heart Rate Variability to Provide Physical Activity Guidance Postpartum

Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine

Lesser, I.A. and Schroeder, L.M. and Wurz, A.

DOI: 10.1249/TJX.0000000000000298

Parent and child physical activity as possible predictors of quality of life in pediatric brain tumor patients: a dyadic analysis

Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine

Levesque, A. and Saravanan, D.P. and Perreault, S. and Sultan, S. and Desjardins, L. and Rondeau, ?. and Wurz, A. and Buron, L. and Shah, N.B. and Hayes, M. and Romo, L. and Curnier, D. and Kern, L. and Caru, M.

DOI: 10.1080/21642850.2025.2580732

Master protocol for a series of cohort-based randomized controlled trials to test tools to communicate research results to study participants and others with relevant lived experience: the SPIN-CLEAR Trials

Trials

Thombs, B.D. and Adams, C. and Nassar, E.-L. and Carrier, M.-E. and Golberg, M. and Bharthi, K. and Wurz, A. and South, A. and Kwakkenbos, L. and Hoa, S. and Rice, D.B. and Guillot, G. and Lawrie-Jones, A. and Sauv{\'e}, M. and Bartlett, S.J. and Fortune, C. and Gietzen, A. and Gottesman, K. and Hudson, M. and Hummers, L.K. and Malcarne, V.L. and Mayes, M.D. and Richard, M. and Stempel, J. and Wojeck, R.K. and Blagrave, K. and Boruff, J.T. and Cook, V. and Culos-Reed, N. and Fr{\"o}bert, O. and Gillies, K. and Granikov, V. and Hemkens, L.G. and Jimenez, E.Y. and Kocher, A. and Leite, C. and Lim, M.A.W.T. and Maltez, N. and Michalski, J. and Mieszczak, T. and Ndosi, M. and Pope, J. and Rannou, F. and Rozee, K. and Straus, S.E. and Sydes, M.R. and Thabane, L. and Varga, J. and Yap, T. and Zwarenstein, M. and Mouthon, L. and Benedetti, A. and Neyer, M.A. and D?Onofrio, M. and Santo, C.D. and Ayala, M.C. and Wilcox, P. and Wagner, D. and Thorne, C. and Steen, V. and Spiera, R.F. and Sobanski, V. and Smets, P. and Rodr{\'i}guez-Reyna, T.S. and Almazar, E.R. and Robinson, D. and Rivi{\`e}re, S. and Renou, F. and R{\'e}gent, A. and Raffray, L. and Pugnet, G. and Proudman, S. and Poindron, V. and Olagne, L. and Nikpour, M. and Nielsen, K. and Nguyen, C. and Mourguet, M. and D{\'i}az, S.M. and Mekinian, A. and Masetto, A. and Martin, T. and Lopez, M.M. and Marie, I. and Manning, J. and Maillard, H. and Legendre, P. and Lee, Y.C. and Launay, D. and Larche, M. and Lambert, M. and Lakin, K.S. and Khalidi, N. and Johnson, S.R. and Ikic, A. and Hugues, M. and Hinchcliff, M. and Harel, D. and Hachulla, E. and Gyger, G. and Guffroy, A. and Granel-Rey, B. and Gordon, J.K. and Gerber, A. and Gauz{\`e}re, L. and Frech, T. and Fortin, P.R. and Farge-Bancel, D. and Fare, R. and Dunogue, B. and Dunne, J.V. and Domsic, R. and Desroche, T. and Denton, C.P. and Deltombe, T. and Crichi, B. and Chung, L. and Chaigne, B. and Casadevall, M. and Carreira, P. and Cacciatore, C. and Bruns, A. and Bories, E. and Blaise, S. and Bissonnette, L. and Berthier, S. and Bernstein, E.J. and Beaslay, F. and Andr{\'e}, M. and Alric, L. and Agard, C.

DOI: 10.1186/s13063-025-08846-2

Co-Producing the International Pediatric Oncology Exercise Guidelines (iPOEG) Toolkit with End-Users

Communications in Kinesiology

Emma McLaughlin and Amanda Wurz and Gregory Guilcher and Jennifer Zwicker and S Nicole Culos-Reed

DOI: 10.51224/cik.2024.55

01 / 2024

An Evaluation of Racial and Ethnic Representation in Research Conducted with Young Adults Diagnosed with Cancer: Challenges and Considerations for Building More Equitable and Inclusive Research Practices

Current Oncology

Hou, S.H.J. and Petrella, A. and Tulk, J. and Wurz, A. and Sabiston, C.M. and Bender, J. and D?Agostino, N. and Chalifour, K. and Eaton, G. and Garland, S.N. and Schulte, F.S.M.

DOI: 10.3390/curroncol31040166

Researcher and patient experiences of co-presenting research to people living with systemic sclerosis at a patient conference: content analysis of interviews

Research Involvement and Engagement

Wurz, A. and Ellis, K. and Nordlund, J. and Carrier, M.-E. and Cook, V. and Gietzen, A. and Adams, C. and Nassar, E.-L. and Rice, D.B. and Fortune, C. and Guillot, G. and Mieszczak, T. and Richard, M. and Sauve, M. and Thombs, B.D.

DOI: 10.1186/s40900-024-00546-6

Physical activity during COVID-19 in people with systemic sclerosis: A Scleroderma Patient-centred Intervention Network COVID-19 Cohort longitudinal study

Journal of Scleroderma and Related Disorders

Wurz, A. and Henry, R.S. and Kwakkenbos, L. and Carrier, M.-E. and Patten, S.B. and Bartlett, S.J. and Mouthon, L. and Varga, J. and Benedetti, A. and Culos-Reed, S.N. and Thombs, B.D.

DOI: 10.1177/23971983241241593

Participant Bias in Community-Based Physical Activity Research: A Consistent Limitation?

Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Lesser, I.A. and Wurz, A. and Bean, C. and Culos-Reed, N. and Lear, S.A. and Jung, M.

DOI: 10.1123/jpah.2023-0267

Rural-urban differences in distress, quality of life, and social support among Canadian young adult cancer survivors: A Young Adults with Cancer in Their Prime (YACPRIME) study

Journal of Rural Health

Tulk, J. and Wurz, A. and Hou, S.H.J. and Bender, J. and Schulte, F.S.M. and Eaton, G. and Chalifour, K. and Garland, S.N.

DOI: 10.1111/jrh.12774

The association of resilience and positive mental health in systemic sclerosis: A Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) cohort cross-sectional study

Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Neyer, M.A. and Henry, R.S. and Carrier, M.-E. and Kwakkenbos, L. and Virgili-Gervais, G. and Wojeck, R.K. and Wurz, A. and Gietzen, A. and Gottesman, K. and Guillot, G. and Lawrie-Jones, A. and Mayes, M.D. and Mouthon, L. and Nielson, W.R. and Richard, M. and Sauv, M. and Harel, D. and Malcarne, V.L. and Bartlett, S.J. and Benedetti, A. and Thombs, B.D.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2024.111648

Exploring the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Potential Benefits of the Mom Movement Intervention (MOMmi)

Nursing for Women's Health

Lesser, I. and Wurz, A. and Bean, C. and Hatfield, G.

DOI: 10.1016/j.nwh.2024.01.006

Experiences of young adults affected by cancer within an 8-week yoga intervention delivered by videoconference: a qualitative interview study

Annals of Medicine

McLaughlin, E. and Arshad, N. and Ellis, K. and Chen, A. and Fougere, K. and Culos-Reed, S.N. and Wurz, A.

DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2309275

Yoga Therapy as an Intervention to Improve Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Adults After Treatment for Cancer: Preliminary Findings From a Trial Using Single-Subject Experimental Design

Integrative Cancer Therapies

Brunet, J. and Hussien, J. and Pitman, A. and Wurz, A. and Conte, E. and Polskaia, N. and Seely, D.

DOI: 10.1177/15347354241233517

A Protocol for a Mixed Methods, Single-Arm, Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial Evaluating a 12-week Yoga Intervention Delivered by Videoconference for Young Adults Diagnosed With Cancer

Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health

Wurz, A. and McLaughlin, E. and Janzen, A. and Cripps, H. and Huang, L. and Molina, H. and Cowley, L. and Dreger, J. and Culos-Reed, S.N. and Quinn, K. and Currey, I.M.O.L. and Pacelli, M.-H. and Coombs, M. and Shamshad, S.

DOI: 10.1177/27536130241305130

Making sense of the cancer journey: Pediatric cancer survivors and their parents autobiographical memories

Journal of Cancer Survivorship

Cho, S. and Wurz, A. and Henry, B. and Tran, A. and Duong, J. and Noel, M. and Neville, A. and Patton, M. and Russell, K.B. and Giles, J. and Reynolds, K. and Schulte, F.

DOI: 10.1007/s11764-023-01384-3

Describing and Exploring Coping Strategies among Those Diagnosed with Cancer as an Adolescent or Young Adult: A YACPRIME Study

Current Oncology

Wurz, A. and Petrella, A. and Tulk, J. and Sabiston, C.M. and Schulte, F. and Bender, J. and D?Agostino, N. and Hou, S.H.J. and Eaton, G. and Chalifour, K. and Garland, S.N.

DOI: 10.3390/curroncol31020050

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

Wurz, A. and Duchek, D. and Ellis, K. and Bansal, M. and Carrier, M.-E. and Tao, L. and Dyas, L. and Kwakkenbos, L. and Levis, B. and El-Baalbaki, G. and Rice, D.B. and Wu, Y. and Henry, R.S. and Bustamante, L. and Harb, S. and Hebblethwaite, S. and Patten, S.B. and Bartlett, S.J. and Varga, J. and Mouthon, L. and Markham, S. and Thombs, B.D. and Culos-Reed, S.N.

DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2169775

A qualitative study exploring inactive older adults experiences in a group-based hiking program

Wellbeing, Space and Society

Lesser, I.A. and Wurz, A. and Nienhuis, C.

DOI: 10.1016/j.wss.2024.100207

Exploring research team members and trial participants perceptions of acceptability and implementation within one videoconference-based supportive care program for individuals affected by systemic sclerosis during COVID-19: a qualitative interview study

Translational Behavioral Medicine

Amanda Wurz and Kelsey Ellis and Delaney Duchek 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: 10.1093/tbm/ibac091

07 / 2023

Describing and exploring physical activity experiences among adults with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods survey study

Journal of Psychosocial Oncology

Lesser, I. and Janzen, A. and Arshad, N. and Wurz, A.

DOI: 10.1080/07347332.2023.2204483

Exploring pain among young people who have completed treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: experiences of youth and caregivers

Supportive Care in Cancer

Cho, S. and Wurz, A. and Henry, B. and Tran, A. and Duong, J. and Noel, M. and Neville, A. and Patton, M. and Russell, B. and Giles, J. and Reynolds, K. and Schulte, F.

DOI: 10.1007/s00520-023-07888-z

An Investigation of Social Status among Adolescents and Young Adults Who Have Been Diagnosed with Cancer in Canada

Cancers

Schulte, F.S.M. and Hou, S.H.J. and Bender, J.L. and Tulk, J. and Wurz, A. and Petrella, A. and Sabiston, C.M. and D?Agostino, N. and Chalifour, K. and Eaton, G. and Garland, S.N.

DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133436

Physical activity and physical fitness assessments in adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer: a scoping review

Supportive Care in Cancer

Caru, M. and Wurz, A. and Brunet, J. and Barb, E.D. and Adams, S.C. and Roth, M.E. and Winters-Stone, K. and Fidler-Benaoudia, M.M. and Dandekar, S. and Ness, K.K. and Culos-Reed, S.N. and Schulte, F. and Rao, P. and Mizrahi, D. and Swartz, M.C. and Smith, M. and Valle, C.G. and Kadan-Lottick, N.S. and Dieli-Conwright, C.M. and Schmitz, K.H.

DOI: 10.1007/s00520-023-08008-7

Patient"researcher co-presentation of research results to people living with systemic sclerosis

The Lancet Rheumatology

Cook, V. and Gietzen, A. and Nassar, E.-L. and Wurz, A. and Thombs, B.D.

DOI: 10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00063-2

Exploring feasibility, perceptions of acceptability, and potential benefits of an 8-week yoga intervention delivered by videoconference for young adults affected by cancer: a single-arm hybrid effectiveness-implementation pilot study

Pilot and Feasibility Studies

Wurz, A. and McLaughlin, E. and Hughes, K. and Ellis, K. and Chen, A. and Cowley, L. and Molina, H. and Duchek, D. and Eisele, M. and Culos-Reed, S.N.

DOI: 10.1186/s40814-023-01244-y

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

Wurz, A. and Janzen, A. and Ellis, K. and Lesser, I. and Arshad, N.

DOI: 10.3390/curroncol30030198

Boxing with Parkinsons 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

Editorial: Exercise and childhood cancer

Frontiers in Pediatrics

Mizrahi, D. and Wurz, A. and Gtte, M.

DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.1097836

I feel like my body is broken: Exploring the experiences of people living with long COVID

medRxiv

Wurz, A. and Culos-Reed, S.N. and Franklin, K. and DeMars, J. and Wrightson, J.G. and Twomey, R.

DOI: 10.1101/2022.01.20.22269617

From laboratory to community: Three examples of moving evidence-based physical activity into practice in Canada

Health and Social Care in the Community

Wurz, A. and Bean, C. and Shaikh, M. and Culos-Reed, S.N. and Jung, M.E.

DOI: 10.1111/hsc.13596

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, 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, 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

"I feel like my body is broken": exploring the experiences of people living with long COVID

Quality of Life Research

Wurz, A. and Culos-Reed, S.N. and Franklin, K. and DeMars, J. and Wrightson, J.G. and Twomey, R.

DOI: 10.1007/s11136-022-03176-1

Exploring Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Posttraumatic Growth among Children Living beyond Cancer and Their Parents Using an Actor"Partner Interdependence Model

Cancers

Wurz, A. and Patton, M. and Merz, E.L. and Hou, S.H.J. and Cho, S. and Schulte, F.

DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030704

Exploring Yoga Instructors Experiences Delivering Yoga to Children and Adolescents Affected by Cancer or Blood Disease

International Journal of Yoga Therapy

Ellis, K. and Culos-Reed, N. and Schulte, F. and Sung, L. and Wurz, A.

DOI: 10.17761/2022-d-21-00068

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

The physicAl aCtivity Counselling for young adult cancEr SurvivorS (ACCESS) trial: A protocol for a parallel, two-arm pilot randomized controlled trial

PLoS ONE

Brunet, J. and Price, J. and Srikanthan, A. and Gillison, F. and Standage, M. and Taljaard, M. and Beauchamp, M.R. and Reed, J. and Wurz, A.

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273045

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

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

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

The international Pediatric Oncology Exercise Guidelines (iPOEG)

Translational Behavioral Medicine

Amanda Wurz and Emma McLaughlin and Conn Lategan and Carolina Chamorro Via and Sarah L Grimshaw and Lotta Hamari and Miriam Gtte 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

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 Conn 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 Vina and Sarah Grimshaw and Lotta Hamari and Miriam Gtte 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

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

Current Evidence and Directions for Future Research in eHealth Physical Activity Interventions for Adults Affected by Cancer: Systematic Review

JMIR Cancer

Ester, M. and Eisele, M. and Wurz, A. and McDonough, M.H. and McNeely, M. and Culos-Reed, S.N.

DOI: 10.2196/28852

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, C. and Leite, C. and Gottesman, K. and Sauve, M. and Rodrguez-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, 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 Rgent, A. and Rivire, 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 Jimnez, A.C. and Discepola, M.-N. and Gagarine, M. and ?stb?, N.

DOI: 10.1186/s13063-021-05827-z

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

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

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 Staffs 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 Blanger

DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.02.002

07 / 2020

Health beliefs and engagement in moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity among cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study.

Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer

DOI: 10.1007/s00520-020-05515-9 PubMed: 32399724

05 / 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

Using a dyadic approach to explore parental support for physical activity among young cancer survivors

Disability and Rehabilitation

DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2020.1712621

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

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

DOI: 10.1111/ecc.13179 PubMed: 31647149

10 / 2019

Posttraumatic growth and its correlates among survivors of adolescent and young adult cancer: A brief report.

Journal of psychosocial oncology

DOI: 10.1080/07347332.2019.1664702 PubMed: 31599205

10 / 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

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

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

IMPACT: Co-Adaptation and National Implementation of a Virtual Physical Activity Program for Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorder Populations

The IMplementation of Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents on Treatment (IMPACT) program is a videoconference-delivered, supervised physical activity intervention designed to support children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer and blood disorders. Originally developed and tested in Alberta, this program provides individualized, home-based exercise sessions tailored to each participant’s age, treatment status, and functional capacity, with the goal of improving physical and psychosocial outcomes during and after treatment.

Dr. Wurz is leading the co-adaptation and national scale-up of IMPACT across British Columbia, Ontario, and the Maritime provinces. This work uses a community-engaged, integrated knowledge translation approach, partnering with patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, and community organizations to ensure the program is relevant, feasible, and sustainable across diverse settings. The co-adapted model incorporates both individual and group-based components and is designed to enhance accessibility for families who face geographic, medical, or logistical barriers to in-person care.

This research is guided by implementation science frameworks (e.g., RE-AIM, CFIR 2.0) and uses a hybrid effectiveness-implementation design to evaluate both outcomes and real-world uptake. The overarching goal is to embed IMPACT within healthcare and community systems to support equitable access to evidence-based physical activity programming for pediatric cancer and blood disorder populations across Canada.

YYA: A National, Co-Created Virtual Yoga Program for Young Adults Affected by Cancer

The Yoga for Young Adults (YYA) program is a 12-week, virtual yoga intervention co-created with young adults affected by canceer.. Developed in response to identified gaps in age-appropriate, accessible supportive care, YYA integrates movement, mindfulness, and peer connection to support the unique physical and psychosocial needs of young adults navigating cancer.

Dr. Wurz is leading the evaluation and national implementation of YYA and most recently had partnered with InspireHealth to launch Young Adult Yoga (YAY), which ensures that the evidence-based yoga program being tested in YYA can continue to be offered to young adults affected by cancer across Canada. This work emphasizes co-design, patient engagement, and sustainable program delivery. In partnership with community organizations, YAY is being implemented as a scalable, real-world program that can be integrated into existing supportive care services. The broader aim is to advance equitable access to evidence-informed, person-centered interventions for young adults affected by cancer and to generate knowledge on how to effectively develop and implement co-created programs at scale.

Grants

Principal Investigator. IMplementation of Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents on Treatment (IMPACT): Adapting and Evaluating Individual- and System-Level Outcomes to Support Uptake. Funding Source: Canadian Cancer Society

Co-Principal Investigator. Exploring the Effectiveness and Implementation of the IMPACT Program: A Physical Activity Program for Children and Adolescents on Treatment for Cancer. Funding Source: Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Principal Investigator. A Community-Engaged Participatory Project to Optimize Knowledge Exchange and Evaluate a Co-Created Yoga Program for Young Adults Affected by Cancer. Funding Source: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Honours & Awards

Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar

Our Research

At BC Children’s, we are making discoveries that save lives and transform health care for children in our province and around the world. Our research portfolio includes basic, clinical, population, and public health research.

EXPLORE OUR RESEARCH

Amanda Wurz

PhD

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital

Academic Affiliations

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Social Support in Physical Activity Interventions for Adults: An Overview of Reviews

Response to letter regarding Experiences of young adults affected by cancer within an 8-week yoga intervention delivered by videoconference: a qualitative interview study

Protocol for a two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial to evaluate patient and researcher co-presentation of research results: the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network-Patients Alongside Investigators in Research-Sharing (SPIN-PAIRS) trial

Exploring Acceptability, Feasibility, and Impact of Heart Rate Variability to Provide Physical Activity Guidance Postpartum

Parent and child physical activity as possible predictors of quality of life in pediatric brain tumor patients: a dyadic analysis

Master protocol for a series of cohort-based randomized controlled trials to test tools to communicate research results to study participants and others with relevant lived experience: the SPIN-CLEAR Trials

Co-Producing the International Pediatric Oncology Exercise Guidelines (iPOEG) Toolkit with End-Users

An Evaluation of Racial and Ethnic Representation in Research Conducted with Young Adults Diagnosed with Cancer: Challenges and Considerations for Building More Equitable and Inclusive Research Practices

Researcher and patient experiences of co-presenting research to people living with systemic sclerosis at a patient conference: content analysis of interviews

Physical activity during COVID-19 in people with systemic sclerosis: A Scleroderma Patient-centred Intervention Network COVID-19 Cohort longitudinal study

Participant Bias in Community-Based Physical Activity Research: A Consistent Limitation?

Rural-urban differences in distress, quality of life, and social support among Canadian young adult cancer survivors: A Young Adults with Cancer in Their Prime (YACPRIME) study

The association of resilience and positive mental health in systemic sclerosis: A Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) cohort cross-sectional study

Exploring the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Potential Benefits of the Mom Movement Intervention (MOMmi)

Experiences of young adults affected by cancer within an 8-week yoga intervention delivered by videoconference: a qualitative interview study

Yoga Therapy as an Intervention to Improve Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Adults After Treatment for Cancer: Preliminary Findings From a Trial Using Single-Subject Experimental Design

A Protocol for a Mixed Methods, Single-Arm, Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial Evaluating a 12-week Yoga Intervention Delivered by Videoconference for Young Adults Diagnosed With Cancer

Making sense of the cancer journey: Pediatric cancer survivors and their parents autobiographical memories

Describing and Exploring Coping Strategies among Those Diagnosed with Cancer as an Adolescent or Young Adult: A YACPRIME Study

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

A qualitative study exploring inactive older adults experiences in a group-based hiking program

Exploring research team members and trial participants perceptions of acceptability and implementation within one videoconference-based supportive care program for individuals affected by systemic sclerosis during COVID-19: a qualitative interview study

Describing and exploring physical activity experiences among adults with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods survey study

Exploring pain among young people who have completed treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: experiences of youth and caregivers

An Investigation of Social Status among Adolescents and Young Adults Who Have Been Diagnosed with Cancer in Canada

Physical activity and physical fitness assessments in adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer: a scoping review

Patient"researcher co-presentation of research results to people living with systemic sclerosis

Exploring feasibility, perceptions of acceptability, and potential benefits of an 8-week yoga intervention delivered by videoconference for young adults affected by cancer: a single-arm hybrid effectiveness-implementation pilot study

Describing Supportive Care Programming Access and Comfort Gathering through the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Observational Mixed Methods Study with Adults Affected by Cancer

Boxing with Parkinsons Disease: findings from a qualitative study using self-determination theory

Editorial: Exercise and childhood cancer

I feel like my body is broken: Exploring the experiences of people living with long COVID

From laboratory to community: Three examples of moving evidence-based physical activity into practice in Canada

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

"I feel like my body is broken": exploring the experiences of people living with long COVID

Exploring Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Posttraumatic Growth among Children Living beyond Cancer and Their Parents Using an Actor"Partner Interdependence Model

Exploring Yoga Instructors Experiences Delivering Yoga to Children and Adolescents Affected by Cancer or Blood Disease

Exploring the Effects of Yoga Therapy on Heart Rate Variability and Patient-Reported Outcomes After Cancer Treatment: A Study Protocol

The physicAl aCtivity Counselling for young adult cancEr SurvivorS (ACCESS) trial: A protocol for a parallel, two-arm pilot randomized controlled trial

Physical activity behaviors and attitudes among women with an eating disorder: a qualitative study

Preliminary Evidence of Improvement in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors Brain Health Following Physical Activity: A Proof-of-Concept Sub-Study

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

The international Pediatric Oncology Exercise Guidelines (iPOEG)

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

Synthesizing the literature on physical activity among children and adolescents affected by cancer: evidence for the international Pediatric Oncology Exercise Guidelines (iPOEG)

Current Evidence and Directions for Future Research in eHealth Physical Activity Interventions for Adults Affected by Cancer: Systematic Review (Preprint)

Advancing the Field of Pediatric Exercise Oncology: Research and Innovation Needs

An experimental study revisiting the link between media attention and breast cancer concern: exploring the role of cognitive fusion

Current Evidence and Directions for Future Research in eHealth Physical Activity Interventions for Adults Affected by Cancer: Systematic Review

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

Moving Online? How to Effectively Deliver Virtual Fitness

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

Childhood Cancer Survivorship: Daily Challenges.

The Process of Self-Management: A Qualitative Case Study Reporting on Cancer Survivors and Program Staffs Experiences Within One Self-Management Support Intervention

A systematic review summarizing the effect of health care provider-delivered physical activity interventions on physical activity behaviour in cancer survivors

Health beliefs and engagement in moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity among cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study.

Exploring cardiologists and oncologists exercise recommendation and referral practices

Using a dyadic approach to explore parental support for physical activity among young cancer survivors

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

Describing and exploring self-esteem, physical self-perceptions, physical activity and self-efficacy in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors.

Posttraumatic growth and its correlates among survivors of adolescent and young adult cancer: A brief report.

Exploring Physical Self-Perceptions Among Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer

Physical activity programs for children diagnosed with cancer: an international environmental scan

Translating Research to Practice: Taking the Next Step to get Children Diagnosed with Cancer Moving

A scoping review of studies exploring physical activity among adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer

Social adjustment and repressive adaptive style in survivors of pediatric cancer.

Cycling Through Cancer: Exploring Childhood Cancer Survivors' Experiences of Well- and Ill-Being.

Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Cancer Survivors: A Meta-Synthesis of Qualitative Research.

Evaluating Questionnaires Used to Assess Self-Reported Physical Activity and Psychosocial Outcomes Among Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer: A Cognitive Interview Study.

The effectiveness of health care provider physical activity recommendations in cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

Yoga Helps Put the Pieces Back Together: A Qualitative Exploration of a Community-Based Yoga Program for Cancer Survivors.