LAUSR

Prostate cancer is the most frequent cancer found in men. Physical activity has shown to counteract some unwanted psychological and physiological side-effects, however sustainable exercise concepts have been hard to achieve. Since 2011 Danish researchers from The University Hospitals’ Center for Health Research have tested, evaluated, and developed football training for men with prostate cancer. In the period 2011-2017 FC Prostate was conducted in three phases (I-III). Pilot study (I), a small scale randomized controlled trial (II), and the FC Prostate Community (III) conducted in a real-world setting in six Danish football clubs. Researchers found that participants who played football once a week or more improved their mental health and reduced fat mass. For some men with prostate cancer, football proved to be a sustained, and viable alternative to other types of physical rehabilitation. Based on these research results the ambition in phase IV is to offer FC Prostate nationally. This task was undertaken by The Danish Health Committee (DCHE) and The Danish Football Association (DBU). During the period 2018-2019 DCHE and DBU have collaborated to initiate and implement local partnerships around each of the currently 20 active FC Prostate-teams in Denmark (spring 2019). DCHE have developed a simple model of collaboration. The model contains a clear division of relevant tasks and outlines a meaningful collaboration between municipal rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and local football club to run locally based FC Prostate-teams; covering such tasks as recruitment, training, and retention of men with prostate cancer in an active life style. The main focus of the presentation will be the national implementation of FC Prostate, including experiences and identified barriers during the project, and expected outcomes based on the project development so far. Local club-based football is a viable alternative to other types of physical rehabilitation. Rehabilitation centers and hospitals are currently collaborating with local club to host and run FC Prostate-teams in Denmark.