Shannon Lawrence

Shannon Lawrence is a pelvic health and oncology physiotherapist and a certified lymphedema therapist who has been treating patients with breast cancer since 1996.  Over the years Shannon has treated hundreds of breast cancer patients (both women and men) and has developed a high level of experience with this population.  She is a member of the CPA Oncology Division, a special interest group within the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, as well as the BC Lymphedema Association. Shannon has continued to add to her clinical toolbox over the years with further advanced oncology and lymphedema treatment courses.  Shannon is also a certified lymphedema therapist, practicing complete decongestive therapy - a process that involves lymphedema compression bandaging, manual lymph drainage massage, compression garment recommendation and fitting, exercise prescription, and skin care.  In addition, Shannon is highly trained as a pelvic health physiotherapist and can provide pelvic health care for male and female cancers.

Realizing the need for experienced physiotherapists to work with other cancer populations, Shannon has continued to further her oncology training and has expanded her practice to include patients with all types of cancer, including those with head and neck cancer, multiple myeloma, and melanoma. She has developed a broad network of health care professionals in the North Island that have a shared interest in Cancer Recovery, including dieticians, clinical counsellors, registered massage therapists, compression garment fitters, and breast prosthesis providers. Whatever your question may be, Shannon can pull from her years of experience and her professional contacts to help you find answers. If you’re not sure whether cancer recovery physiotherapy is right for you, please give the clinic a call and Shannon would be happy to discuss your unique situation and needs with you.

Shannon has experience and works with the following cancer patients:

• Breast cancer and breast reconstructions

• Malignant melanoma

• Head and neck cancers

• Multiple myeloma

• Abdominal cancers

• Lung cancer

• Prostate cancer

• Gynecological cancers such as uterine, ovarian, cervical and vaginal cancers

• Ano-rectal cancers

Shannon works with lymphedema patients to provide the following treatment options:

• Education on the latest evidence-based ways to prevent and manage lymphedema

• Scar tissue and manual lymph drainage massage

• Compression bandaging using short stretch lymphedema bandages

• Custom compression garment fitting

• Appropriate exercise prescription

• Skin care

JULIE HARRISON

Julie is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist and member of the BC Association of Kinesiologists. She is passionate about helping those with complex and/or chronic disease find ways to be active again. She has spent the last couple of years working exclusively with cancer patients on southern Vancouver Island and is very pleased to now be working alongside Shannon to provide more services for the North Island cancer patient population. Julie provides fitness-based assessments and individualized exercise programs that can help can help our cancer patients in a number of ways:

• Help you reach your specific fitness goals and return to the activities that you loved to do before your cancer diagnosis

• Regain and develop your confidence in the resiliency of your body

• Safe and cancer-specific one-on-one exercise in the clinic’s well-appointed gym space

• Counteract the effects of neuropathy by working on your balance

• Build back your cardiovascular endurance while having your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels in your blood closely monitored

• Increase your ability to lift weights and perform functional tasks

• Specific programming to help you prepare for a safe return to work