Many people living with and beyond cancer experience physical, cognitive, and functional changes as a result of their diagnosis and treatment. These changes can affect mobility, energy, speech, swallowing, daily activities and quality of life.
Cancer rehabilitation services at BC Cancer can offer you specialized care during or after cancer treatment to help you:
Maintain or restore physical, cognitive, or functional well-being
Manage symptoms and side effects caused by cancer or associated treatments
Our mission is to deliver evidence-based, person-centered rehabilitation services through an integrated provincial model, helping people maximize function, manage symptoms and live well during and after cancer treatment.
We offer services in-person or virtual options:
Physiotherapy
Speech-language pathology
Physiatry (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation)
Nutrition services
Vocational rehabilitation counselling
Cancer rehabilitation is delivered by a collaborative, multidisciplinary team. Depending on your needs, you may meet one or more of the following team members:
Cancer Physiatrists (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physicians): Medical doctors specializing in the diagnosis and management of cancer-related impairments, such as pain, neuropathy, musculoskeletal issues, functional decline and mobility limitations.
Physiotherapists (PT): Focus on movement, strength, balance, and managing pain. PTs help with recovery after surgery or radiation, reduce pain and stiffness and support safe return to activity.
Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP): Assess and treat speech, voice, swallowing and communication difficulties that may arise from certain cancers, neurological changes or treatment side effects.
Registered Dietitians (RD): Provide nutrition assessment and counseling to help manage treatment side effects, maintain strength and support healing.
Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists: Assist with planning for return to work or school, workplace accommodations and navigating disability benefits.
Nursing: Provides ongoing support, education and symptom management, helping to coordinate care and guide you through your rehabilitation journey.
Also on the care team, but currently outside of BC Cancer Services:
Occupational Therapists (OT): Help people participate in meaningful daily activities by addressing fatigue, cognition, upper limb function and energy conservation strategies. They can recommend adaptive equipment and home or workplace modifications.
Clinical Exercise Physiologists (CEP): Develop safe, individualized exercise programs tailored to people with cancer, supporting fitness, fatigue management and overall wellness.
Cancer Physiatry is a new specialty within BC Cancer’s Supportive Care Services.
A Cancer Physiatrist is a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician who specializes in the medical assessment and treatment of physical and functional problems related to cancer and its treatment. They take a whole-person approach to care, with a focus on maximizing function and quality of life.
Pain, stiffness or weakness related to surgery, radiation or cancer treatments
Peripheral neuropathy (e.g., chemotherapy-induced)
Problems with walking or coordination
Fatigue or deconditioning
Central nervous system impairment (e.g., balance issues, cognitive or neurological changes affecting function)
Joint, bone or muscle concerns, including exercise safety in the context of bone metastases
Lymphedema or swelling
Performs a detailed assessment of physical function and symptoms
Orders and interprets tests or imaging as needed
Provides rehabilitation-focused medical treatments, such as medications, injections or referrals for therapy
Works closely with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and other members of the rehabilitation team
Helps coordinate care and connect patients with community-based resources
The Cancer Physiatry clinic currently operates at BC Cancer – Kelowna. Referrals are typically made by your oncology care team about a referral to the BC Cancer – Cancer Rehabilitation Service. Referral forms can be obtained by your doctor or nurse practitioner by calling BC Cancer – Kelowna.
If you are a patient or family member interested in cancer rehabilitation, please speak with your oncologist or nurse about a referral or contact BC Cancer – Kelowna and request for referral forms.
For your first cancer rehabilitation appointment, please bring:
Your healthcare card
Your medication list
Any information about your cancer treatment. It is helpful to:
Write down your symptoms, questions and goals
Wear comfortable and loose-fitting clothing
Bring any mobility aids or equipment you use
Please feel free to bring a family member or friend for support.
Cancer rehabilitation can start before treatment begins. Your healthcare team may:
Assess your current health condition, mobility and daily activities
Help you build endurance
Teach you strategies to manage and reduce treatment-related side effects
Set goals with you based on your needs
Your care may include:
- Exercises to help you maintain function
- Techniques to help you manage symptoms
- Support for changes in your mobility, thinking and memory
- Help with your daily activities
- Education and home exercises to support your recovery
Cancer rehabilitation helps you regain function and return to activities that matter to you:
- Rebuild your endurance
- Exercises that improve your mobility, balance and flexibility
- Support you with long-term side effects
- Help you return to work, school and daily activities
- Personalized care for your ongoing self-care and health after discharge
Talk with your healthcare team about what you can expect BC Cancer.
Dr. Lauren Capozzi is a Cancer Physiatrist and the Provincial Medical Director of Cancer Rehabilitation at BC Cancer. She is a clinician-scientist and exercise physiologist whose work focuses on integrating rehabilitation and into routine oncology care to improve function, recovery, and quality of life for people living with and beyond cancer. Her research and health-system initiatives emphasize early identification of physical impairment and the development of scalable, equitable rehabilitation models across the cancer care continuum. Dr. Capozzi has published widely, delivered over 100 research and educational presentations, and has been recognized for her leadership with awards including Avenue Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40.
