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UH Cancer Center welcomes patients/survivors/thrivers, caregivers, family to hear research on movement’s benefits, try gentle activities suitable for any level
Cancer patients, survivors, thrivers, caregivers, family members and supportive community members are invited to “Let’s Move! The Importance of Physical Activity in the Cancer Journey,” a free, welcoming event on Oct. 17, 2026, at the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center that aims to show that physical activity can be accessible and beneficial for everyone. The deadline to register has been extended to Wednesday, Oct. 14.
The “Let’s Move!” workshop — 8-11 a.m. in the center’s Sullivan Conference Center at 701 Ilalo Street in Kakaʻako, and coinciding with Breast Cancer Awareness Month — will be hybrid, offering in-person and Zoom options for attendance.
The focus will be on the many ways movement can support physical and emotional well-being during and after cancer treatment, and will emphasize an important message: Everyone can benefit from physical activity, and there is no single “right” way to move.
“Physical activity can look very different from person to person, especially during a cancer journey,” said Dr. Jami Fukui, faculty lead for the Susan C. Hirano Cancer CARE Community and ʻOhana Pink programs of the UH Cancer Center. “Our UH Cancer Center’s goal for the ‘Let’s Move!’ event is to create a space where everyone feels welcome and comfortable, and can connect with each other. You can participate at your own pace, and adapt movements to your abilities, or you can simply come and learn. There will be no pressure to keep up with anyone else.”
The workshop will feature multiple movement opportunities — including gentle general exercise, and adapted hula, the Hawaiian dance form. Movement activities will be modifiable so that people of any level may participate, even from a chair. In addition, Nā Wāhine Hula ‘Ākala, a hālau of cancer survivors at the UH Cancer Center, will assist with teaching the adapted hula.
Attendees will also hear presentations on the documented benefits of physical activity for the cancer journey. The vast field of supportive research includes a UH Cancer Center clinical trial published in 2023 that found that hula was beneficial as a physical activity and social support intervention for sustained activity in female breast and gynecologic cancer survivors. Recent research also includes the landmark CHALLENGE Trial (Colonic Health and Life-Long Exercise), which found that after a three-year exercise intervention with 899 colon cancer patients, patients in the exercise group had an overall 37% reduction in mortality compared with those in a group that received only health education. The overall survival was 90.3% in the exercise group versus 83.2% in the group that received educational materials alone.
At the “Let’s Move!” event, the topics and presenters include:
The event will also feature “wellness tables” with informational resources from supportive organizations; poster presentations on research on the benefits of physical activity; and light refreshments.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death (after cardiovascular disease) in Hawaiʻi. Nearly 76,000 people in Hawaiʻi are living with cancer, and each year an average of 2,519 Hawaiʻi residents die of cancer, says the center’s “Hawaiʻi Cancer at a Glance” report. The UH Cancer Center is dedicated to saving lives in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.
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About the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center
The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center is dedicated to saving lives in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific, and inspiring hope by working to conquer cancer. The flagship priority is to understand and address cancer health disparities. The center strives to achieve this through research, education, patient care, and community outreach, focusing on the unique and diverse ethnic, cultural, and environmental characteristics of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.
The UH Cancer Center is one of only 74 institutions designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), representing a significant mark of excellence, and is the only NCI-designated cancer center in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. The center contributes more than $57 million to Hawaiʻi's economy through scientific research, clinical trials, and other activities.
As part of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the UH Cancer Center operates out of facilities located in Kakaʻako. The center directly employs more than 300 faculty and staff, with an additional 200 affiliate members and cooperative agreements with organizations that are part of the Hawaiʻi Cancer Consortium. The consortium includes The Queen’s Health Systems, Hawaiʻi Pacific Health, Kuakini Medical Center, Adventist Health Castle, Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association (HMSA), and the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), all working together with the UH Cancer Center to advance cancer research and treatment in the state.
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