5 Minutes with Birdsong | Your Cancer Services

30 June 2024 — david-allen

Exercise has been clinically proven to assist those living with cancer and physiotherapy can help support pain management.

Birdsong Yoga Physio is a service providing physiotherapy and yoga to anyone with cancer. We spoke to founder, Yvonne Whitehouse, to find out more.

Tell us about your organisation?

In 2021, having been a physiotherapist for nearly 20 years at that point and worked in hospices for 13 of them, I decided to train as a yoga teacher.  During my training I realised how helpful yoga (the combination of slow and mindful movement, breathing exercises and relaxation) could be to people with cancer so I decided to set up Birdsong.

What services do you offer people living with cancer?

Online physiotherapy and yoga to people living with or after cancer, and face to face physiotherapy for people in the Edinburgh region.

Do you have a target demographic who use your services?

The majority of people that I see have either primary or secondary breast cancer, but the service is open to all adults with cancer.

How are you funded?

2 yoga classes per week are funded by a national secondary breast cancer charity, Make 2nds Count.  I am registered with the main private insurance companies or people can self fund.

Has anything changed for your organisation since the pandemic?

I set up in the pandemic, so everything ( including my yoga teacher training) was online.  It has been lovely to be able to see some people face to face since then, but it is also good to recognize that the pandemic gave physios the chance to work with people online and for many people, this allows them to access services they wouldn’t previously have been able to.

What’s the most rewarding thing about the work you do?

I receive so many messages saying how I have helped people walk again, get back to playing sport, move with less pain and this is so meaningful to me.

What would you say to those who are considering getting in touch with you but are nervous or apprehensive?

Physiotherapy and yoga can help with so many side effects of treatment and cancer, and there is almost always something we can do together to improve things for you. 

Do you have testimonials from people that have used your services?

Yes, I recently sent out a survey monkey to everyone who comes to my weekly classes and I have added some of the quotes for you.

“Birdsong yoga has helped get me back on my feet, quite literally. 6 months ago a secondary cancer in my spine meant I was in incredible pain and unable to walk. A combination of treatment and Yoga, adapted to my needs has not only enabled me to walk and regain my fitness and mobility, and with confidence.”

“Yvonne’s friendly and professional approach makes this class so accessible and welcoming. The pace is gentle and feels nourishing. Yvonne creates a highly nurturing space which gives me the opportunity to pause and relax. I value these sessions very much.”

Who works for you?

Just me!

What are the values of your organisation?

Empowering people with cancer to be as well as they can be.

And finally, can you describe your organisation in 3 words?

Move, breathe, relax