Researchers at Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, are looking for breast cancer patients and survivors to take part in a workshop at University of Limerick (UL) this weekend.

The workshop is funded through an Irish Cancer Society Research Engagement Award, and is focused around engaging breast cancer patients and survivors with current research being undertaken in the UL project BREASTech: increasing physical activity levels in breast cancer patients through technology-enabled care.

Research fellow Dr Michelle Norris of Lero at UL is looking for breast cancer patients and survivors who are willing to engage with the process and are available to attend UL on the mornings of Saturday, February 8th and Saturday, February 22nd for the half-day workshops.

“Breast cancer patients and survivors will explore their feelings and thoughts surrounding breast cancer, physical activity and technology, through photography using a method called Photovoice. There are still places open in the workshop and anyone who is interested and available to come along can contact me.

“The aim of the Research Engagement Award is firstly to engage breast cancer patients and survivors with research around why exercise is important for those with, and survivors of, breast cancer, and how technology may help,” explained Dr Norris.

The first workshop will begin with a talk by Dr Norris on the importance of exercise for breast cancer and how technology could help to increase exercise levels in breast cancer patients and survivors.

“The first workshop will conclude with an introduction to Nordic Walking class led by Patricia Sutton, a qualified Nordic Walking Instructor and Lymphoedema Therapist. Within the second workshop, attendees will assemble posters from photographs they have taken on their phones/cameras to be exhibited at the International Woman’s Day Conference in the University of Limerick on March 6th,” she added.

Participants will receive funding for travel costs, tea/coffee at break time, a light lunch and a piece of technology to support physical activity. To take part contact Michelle on 061 234158 or by email at michelle.norris@lero.ie.

Dr Michelle Norris is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie COFUND Research Fellow (ALECS) at Lero where she is currently leading “BREASTech: Increasing physical activity in breast cancer patients through technology-enabled care”. Within this project, she is investigating barriers to physical activity which breast cancer patients and survivors have and developing novel technology-based solutions to address these barriers.

Michelle’s other research interests include connected health, breast biomechanics, sports biomechanics and movement variability. She has extensive experience conducting data analysis on large data sets and is interested in discovering trends and patterns within large data. Additionally, previously a member of the Research Group in Breast Health, University of Portsmouth, Michelle has extensive experience investigating issues related to breast movement and pain.