Local woman's PhD research attracts major national award

A young local woman, who has devised a global first-of-its-kind physical activity programme for child and adolescent survivors of cancer, was this week named as the Irish Cancer Society's 'PhD Researcher of the Year'.

Jennifer Fitzpatrick (26), from Doon, on the Westmeath border with Offaly, has dedicated the last four years of her life to her groundbreaking PhD research project which she is hoping will eventually be rolled out nationwide and across Europe as a free service to young people facing a cancer diagnosis.

Jennifer’s project is called ‘The Childhood and adolescent cancer survivors’ physical Activity and Movement Programme’ (CHAMPs) and was developed in collaboration with families to support young people (aged 10 to 19 years) who have had cancer.

CHAMPs is a free, personalised, 12-week physical activity programme, based entirely in the young person’s home and guided by their ability and interests for activity.

The development of the programme stemmed from Jennifer's lifelong interest in physical activity and in young people, which led to her considering going down the route of becoming a PE teacher at one stage.

She opted instead for a BSc in Physical Activity and Health Science at Athlone TUS.

“I always had an interest in young people and in behaviour change when it comes to physical activity and I was drawn to the health science course because it combined a lot of elements I wanted to focus on, and provided access to a range of expertise, such as psychologists, nutritionists, exercise and sport scientists,” she says.

The daughter of Raymond Fitzpatrick from Athlone's Assumption Road and Mary Dooner, who is a native of Doon, Jennifer received her primary education in Clonbonny National School and then went to Athlone Community College before embarking on her third-level education in TUS.

Jennifer is the middle child in a family of three. She has one sister, Sarah, who is currently in her 2nd year of a Polymer and Mechanical Engineering Degree course in TUS, while her brother, Kevin, is a secondary school teacher of Maths and Physics in Dublin.

Jennifer credits two of her undergraduate lecturers in TUS, and now PhD supervisors, Dr. Mairéad Cantwell and Dr. Kieran Dowd, with encouraging her to pursue a PhD after she had completed her undergraduate studies, and she readily admits that she would not have got this far without their “input, guidance and support”.

One of her undergraduate modules was 'clinical populations' so, as part of her examination of this area, she set out to try to identify any gaps in the provision of services for various populations and soon realised that there were very few supports for child and adolescent survivors of cancer, particularly in the area of physical activity.

Thus began her research project into devising a physical activity for this cohort, and she says she spent “a long two years” building her physical activity programme.

“Up to 90% of all young people who have had cancer may experience side effects and these can range from the physical to the mental and psychological, and we are always being taught that 'movement is medicine' so I felt that if I could devise a physical activity programme for child and adolescent cancer survivors that could be delivered in their own homes it would be hugely beneficial,” explains Jennifer.

The idea behind the programme is to “take out the medical side” and concentrate on improving the physical, mental and psychological well-being of each participant through a range of physical activities.

Jennifer has worked with 16 different families for the feasibility trial period of her programme which entails “packing my car to bursting point with all the gear and travelling up and down the country, from Cork to Donegal, each week to work with young people who have had cancer”, she says.

She also established a Patient Advisory Group three years ago, made up of three cancer survivors who were aged 12, 14 and 16 when they first joined, whom she refers to as her “mini researchers” and every aspect of the CHAMPs programme is discussed with them before being implemented.

“We cross check everything with them,” she explains.

The CHAMPs programme is delivered wherever the cancer survivor feels most comfortable, be it in the kitchen of the family home, the sitting room or out in the garden. Jennifer tailors the programme to suit the needs of individual participants, and depending on how they are feeling at any particular time.

“They could have had a very bad night, be in pain, not feel like exercising and they might just need to sit quietly and talk about how they are feeling, and that is perfectly ok too. We slowly, and gradually build up their activity levels,” she says.

While she says her research and the devising of the CHAMPs programme has been “incredibly rewarding” Jennifer Fitzpatrick almost admits that it is an “extremely emotional experience” working directly with child and adolescent survivors of cancer and seeing the impact that a cancer diagnosis has on them and their families.

“I feel very privileged to have undertaken this body of research and to be able to deliver the CHAMPs programme and see the hugely positive benefits of physical activity for young people who have survived cancer.”

Jennifer's PhD research project was co-funded by TUS and the Irish Cancer Society and ultimately she would like to see the programme being rolled out with charity partners as a free service to all cancer survivors aged from 10 to 19 years old in Ireland, and perhaps across Europe.

“At the moment we are looking for further funding to enable us to provide the CHAMPs programme as a free service,” she says, “and we are currently looking into different avenues for this.”

Jennifer Fitzpatrick says it is “a great honour” to be named as the Irish Cancer Society 'PhD Researcher of the Year' and is a vindication of the amount of time and hard work she, and the team around her, have invested over the past four years in researching and devising the CHAMPs programme.