A PIONEERING scheme to support cancer patients has officially been launched in Barnsley.

The service, known as Active Together, has been designed by experts at Sheffield Hallam University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC) with funding from Yorkshire Cancer Research and has been helping people in Sheffield since 2022.

The scheme’s helped more than 1,000 people since it began, and the first session in Barnsley recently took place thanks to an additional £4m worth of funding from the charity.

It offers free, personalised fitness, nutrition, and wellbeing support to help people with cancer prepare for, respond to, and recover after treatment.

The service aims to save lives by increasing cancer treatment options, reducing side-effects, speeding up recovery and improving long-term health outcomes.

A spokesperson for Barnsley Hospital said: “The service will initially be open to people in Barnsley diagnosed with lung, colorectal or upper gastrointestinal cancers.

“The service will then expand into further cancer sites in the future.

“In Barnsley, the Active Together team is a collaboration between Barnsley Hospital Therapy Services and Barnsley Premier Leisure in the community, specifically the Metrodome complex.

“Barnsley Premier Leisure will assist initially with patients’ recovering from treatment.

“Referrals can be made to this service from health professionals at the start of the pathway.”