YMCA Health and Well-being

YMCAs have led community-based health and well-being programs for more than a century. Research continues to support the holistic approach to health that YMCAs have taken since 1891, when Luther Gulick proposed the red YMCA triangle as a symbol of a person's "essential unity -- spirit, mind and body.” Participation in YMCA programs offer opportunities for friendship and community, a sense of well-being, self-confidence and improved mental abilities and cognition.  

The YMCA supports healthy lifestyles by reaching out to and engaging all those who seek well-being of spirit, mind and body. We will create and sustain healthier communities by actively engaging our communities and connecting our networks, partners and resources to influence decisions that positively impact health and wellness. To learn about the Y health and well-being programs in your area, contact your local YMCA.

LIVESTRONG™ at the YMCA
In 2007, the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) and YMCA of the USA (the national resource office for YMCAs) partnered to create LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, a program to support people affected by cancer reach their health and well-being goals. Research has indicated that physical activity after cancer treatments helps to reduce fatigue, improve mood, and increase muscle strength and physical endurance. With 12 million cancer survivors living in the United States today, there is a great need to offer those living with, through and beyond cancer a safe and accommodating environment where they can engage in physical and social activities.

How are the YMCA and LAF working together to improve the lives of people affected by cancer?
Often, cancer survivors were physically active prior to their cancer treatment but either quit engaging in physical activity completely or have a limited ability to be active. Cancer survivors are often unsure of the type of physical activity that is safe after completing treatment. The LAF is committed to supporting cancer survivors in their return to physical activity and has partnered with the YMCA because of our national reach, commitment to meeting the needs of all community members, and history of program innovation in support of health and wellness. Throughout the partnership, LIVESTRONG at the YMCA will be integrated into YMCAs across the country, with the potential to impact tens of thousands of people affected by cancer.

To ensure that LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is safe and effective, the LAF, YMCA of the USA and a group of expert advisors gathered best practices related to physical activity and cancer survivors. YMCA staff engage and support people affected by cancer in their communities and provide a positive, learning environment to help survivors meet their holistic health and well-being goals during treatment and beyond.

Currently in a pilot phase, the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program will expand to at least 150 YMCAs nationwide by the end of 2010. Below is a list of communities currently offering LIVESTRONG at the YMCA. Click here to find the YMCA in your community.

Ann Arbor (MI)
Boise (ID)
Boston (MA)
Burlington (NJ)
Charlotte (NC)
Clearwater/St. Petersburg (FL)
Des Moines (IA)
Fairfield (OH)
Fargo (ND)
Lakeland (FL)
Louisville (KY)
Marysville (WA)
Metuchen (NJ)
Woodbridge (NJ)
Edison (NJ)
Milwaukee (WI)
Providence (RI)
Rochester (NY)
Seattle (WA)
Syracuse (NY)
Tampa (FL)