It’s Time to Reclaim Your Body and Your Life.
Have you ever wondered, “What comes after cancer?”
If you’re anything like the other women I’ve met in cancer recovery, once their treatments were complete, all they could manage was to survive one day at a time. And, I know from first hand experience that that’s how it is until you realize life is meant to be more!
You are meant to thrive and live in joy. Your purpose is to shine your light in the world and live your passion.
Hi! In case we’ve never met before in person or on social media, I’m Emilee.
I’ve been a movement educator for over 20 years, teaching therapeutic yoga and Pilates in my private studio. As a cancer recovery specialist, I help women like you all over the world reclaim their strength, hope and their bodies, through safe, proven exercises.
I’ve survived cancer two times in my life: once at 4 years old and the second time in my thirties. You can say I’m a cancer thriver!
After my surgery, while I was still in the hospital, I asked doctors and nurses how I could recover my body through exercise. I got a lot of blank stares, since they didn’t know specific exercises. But they did help me walk around the halls to keep my blood flowing because they knew I needed to start moving sooner rather than later! If I didn’t move my body, I knew I wouldn’t heal quickly or relieve my excruciating back pain.
Back then, I knew movement was medicine!
So, I went on Google and did many searches on exercise and fitness for cancer. I found a few references about how to exercise for women with breast cancer, which was great, but found nothing for women who had undergone surgery and treatment for ovarian cancer.
It was at that moment that I found my purpose for living again! Day by day, I slowly rehabilitated my body using modified versions of many yoga and Pilates exercises that I had taught throughout the years. I came up with at least one hundred different exercises and stretches that were safe to do—and I tested them all out on myself!
These therapeutic movements and stretches became the cornerstone of my Cancer Core Recovery® Method and programs that I’ve been teaching for the past 4 years.
I’m so excited to share this ground-breaking program with you! Creating your comeback story, your new life and a fresh start after cancer, all begins with getting your body back.
Your body can actually get stronger during your cancer recovery! You don’t need to wait years after your recovery to start moving your body.
In fact, the sooner you begin a safe stretch and exercise routine, the faster you will recover—because movement is medicine.
My Cancer Core Recovery® Program will help move lymph through your body, flushing out toxins and increasing your immunity so you stay healthier.
Whether you’re recovering from cancer treatment, surgery, living with an ileostomy, needing to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, or struggling with weak abdominals and lower back pain, this program gives you the tools to safely restore strength to your deepest muscles, no matter what state of fitness you’re in now.
See my doctor testimonials below to validate the effectiveness of this course…
"As a gynecological surgeon, I know that this isn't easy territory. Surgery, recovery in a hospital and then the cancer treatments can all conspire to rob women of any sense of control over their bodies.
Emilee shows women how to rebuild, refocus and emerge stronger in a truly gentle and caring way. Her exercises are safe, gradual steps that women can do from their hospital bed to their own bedrooms to build endurance, confidence and strength. It's progress, not perfection, and Emilee’s book is there at your side along the journey to feeling whole again.
I whole heartedly endorse Emilee’s cancer recovery program and her spirit embodied in this unique method for women."
"I am blessed to know Emilee Garfield. She has been an inspirational patient in so many ways.
She has demonstrated courage, optimism, and humor during bleak times. Her grit and flexibility directed her through a true storm of life. This determination and bravery motivates all her providers and will continue to push anyone she meets to a better self.
Emilee gives hope with her motivation, perseverance, and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle despite tremendous adversity.
Thank you for reminding me to NEVER QUIT!"
"Emilee has written a book that is perfect for all patients undergoing abdominal or pelvic surgery.
Through her own experience, she has realized that recovery from surgery is not a race but a journey. She embodies mind, body and spirit to a successful restoration of excellent health.
Emilee elicits safe and dependable mental and physical exercises for a solid core recovery.I will recommend this book to all my patients."
This program is designed specifically for anyone in cancer recovery and will help:
- Exercise Safely With an Ostomy
- Promote Pelvic Health Wellness
- Strengthen Abdominal Muscles
- Increase Flexibility & Mobility
- Relieve Back Pain
- Improve Posture and Balance
- Develop Feelings of Peacefulness, Wellbeing, Self-Compassion and Self-Love
- Decrease Feelings of Alienation and Loneliness
- Increase A Sense of Hope and Excitement for the Future
- Decrease chances of lower limb lymphedema
- Doctors, medical and fitness professionals, and cancer patients alike all consider this program the definitive guide for rebuilding your core muscles after cancer treatment and abdominal surgery.
Each exercise is richly illustrated and explained in text, photos and video.
What makes The Cancer Core Recovery® Program so unique is the fact that there is no other exercise program on the market that safely coaches your recovery from day one—while still in the hospital bed!
If you’ve had radiation damage that weakened the tissues in your abdomen and pelvis, you have probably lost sensation inside your core. This program will help you regain a connection to these deep core muscles. These are the specific muscles that help you stand after sitting, sit up after lying down and keep your posture erect. They are vitally important to your day-to-day activities.
Here’s the truth: during cancer recovery you need to slow down, listen to your body and let it teach you what it needs to get strong again.
Know that healing your body is going to be a process and that there is no one right way. Do what works best for you.
This program is appropriate for all ages and levels, and is exclusively designed to help cancer survivors safely recover their bodies in any stage of cancer recovery.
After meeting Emilee during a session of B-School, I ordered her workout DVD and asked to have a peek at her upcoming exercise guide. I absolutely love it and you will too!
Emilee has shown me that body is full of surprises, strength and I have the ability to conquer anything! I’m a two time cancer survivor and have had multiple surgeries in my abdomen, breast and shoulder. Emilee showed me how strong I really am!
I keep trying mainstream workouts. But there is nothing “mainstream” about my body.It’s scarred and broken. (My lymphatic system is literally broken because of surgical removal, scar tissue is binding and disrupting the flow of movement...) That doesn’t mean it can’t ever be strong!It means I need specialized care to get me there. My friend Emilee, a fellow cancer survivor and multi-surgery sister, also Pilates instructor has an amazing exercise program. Her exercises are SLOW but don’t be fooled they are still challenging! Only needing a few reps to challenge those DEEP CORE muscles. No crazy jumping. No intense upper body lifting. EVERYTHING I NEED to strengthen this body and feel better throughout my day because I fed my body with movement. I would encourage you to follow her, sign up to receive her exercises ... anything because it all so good!
"Sending you a virtual hug from Adelaide, AU. I am 12 months in my ileostomy world after being diagnosed with a melanoma on my urethra.Being a melanoma I had my bladder, urethra & vagina removed - as well as lymph node dissection. Waking up with a urostomy bag. Prior to my surgery I was a Pilates reformer addict, so my life turned upside down & inside out.I feel gratitude and give thanks everyday for finding your blog & Instagram!!I suggested to my gynecologist, urologist and oncologist they prescribe your book to all their ileostomy patients! It was the shining light in my recovery!I love you so much & grateful you are part of my cancer recovery team xx"
The Cancer Core Recovery® Program Modules
Phase 1: Post-Surgery Exercises In The Hospital
These are exercises that can be done right from your hospital bed.
It’s important to move your body and get the lymphatic system moving as soon as possible. These are easy exercises, no experience required.
After surgery, your body feels like it just went through a war. You may be experiencing post traumatic feelings and this is normal. The best thing you can do is start to do gentle movements, often. These feel so simple and easy that they may seem silly, but these little movements, repeated over and over, will move you through your recovery faster.
You will learn the Daily Essentials and have access to a 5-minute mini-class that you can do with me right from your bed. It’s like I am right there with you. You are not alone and I understand where you have been. Some days the fear is too much or the pain is too intense, but with this program, you can self guide yourself through the phases that resonate with you.
We all heal at different rates. Some slower than others. It’s okay if you do Phase 1 for a few months once you are out of the hospital.
Phase 2: Reclaim Your Strength Home Exercises
You can begin Phase 2 after you arrive home from the hospital.
In this phase, you will review Phase 1 and learn exercises for when you feel exhausted and that will help ease your back pain.
This phase focuses on stretches for scar tissue and simple exercises that help with pelvic pain. At this point, your body is still under a lot of stress and it’s important NOT to do any abdominal exercises or anything that could injure your incision.
This phase will help reduce inflammation by moving your body in gentle ways.
You will use props, like your bed, to hold onto, so that you can begin to build lower body strength in your legs. This is NOT the kind of lower body workout you may be thinking of. Everything is designed to help you build your strength back from the inside out. It is really hard to squat down on a toilet after surgery! I know because I’ve experienced it too! I will teach you simple exercises to help build those muscles back.
Phase 3: Restore Your Core
In Phase 3, you will focus on your core. This is essentially where you will learn how to reactivate your core muscles by using small stability balls.
After having major surgery, I understand the fear of injuring yourself during exercise. I have taken that fear away from you. I modified all of these exercises while having an ileostomy, after major colon surgery. It is the only way I can do core work without feeling pain.
The best part is that you will learn so much more about your core than you probably ever knew. Deep inside your core are muscles that help support your pelvic floor; if you strengthen these muscles it helps with incontinence and sexual health, to name just two benefits. But more importantly, you will learn what your core actually is and how it’s important to activate all of these muscles.
Phase 4: Regain Your Balance and Strength
In this phase, you will learn “the basics,” such as Mountain and Tree pose taught in yoga. This foundational work will help you progress to more challenging exercises.
The focus in Phase 4 is rebuilding your hip strength. Do you know how important hip strength is? Many people don’t realize they are out of balance or can’t stand on one leg because they have weak hip and butt muscles. You will learn some basic exercises that you can use as tools for the rest of your life.
Phase 5: Increase Your Flexibility
Phase 5 is the “stretch phase,” and it’s one of my favorites!
You will learn over 40 stretches to choose from to help your back, pelvic or hip pain. These are priceless and easy to follow. Each exercise includes a video and written instructions.
I know this program will change your life!
These are the EXACT same exercises I did while I healed and recovered from stage 3C ovarian cancer. And, guess what? I still do many of these stretches and exercises EVERY DAY!
