UNE physical therapy students receive grant to create yoga program for young cancer survivors

A group of physical therapy students at the University of New England was recently awarded a grant from the Northern New England Clinical Oncological Society (NNECOS) to complete a student-led oncology project. UNE students Aly Deardorff and Andrew Chongaway from the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) class of 2019 received $1,345 for their project: “A Guided Web-Based Yoga Series for Pediatric Cancer Survivors.”

The students will consult and collaborate with regional and national experts in pediatric oncology and a certified child yoga instructor to design, create and distribute a series of instructional videos of safe, guided yoga practice for pediatric cancer survivors. The students will also collaborate with UNE DPT faculty mentor Amy Litterini, PT, D.P.T., and videographer Mike D’Apice to complete the project.

Links to the video will be shared nationally through the Pediatric Oncology Special Interest Group of the Oncology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. The video will also be shared on flash drives to provide access to patients and families in New England living in rural communities with limited internet access.