Queen Anne’s very own Young Pilates is offering six breast cancer survivors scholarships for a pilates program in honor of October being National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“We had our five year anniversary this spring, so we’d been thinking about something to do for the community and give back,” owner Brooke Young said. “And October was breast cancer awareness month so it was perfect timing.”

The 6-week program will emphasize exercises catered to survivors, and will be taught every Saturday from 12 to 1 p.m. from November 7 to December 19 by instructor and Queen Anne resident Sue Bream.

(Photo courtesy of Brooke Young).

Bream works as a trainer at Young Fitness and Outrageously Fit in Ballard, and specializes in classes for women who are moms and cancer survivors – she recently participated in the Pink Ribbon Program, which trains instructors exercise techniques specific to the needs breast cancer survivors. More information on Bream can be found at her website, suebreamfitness.com.

“Pilates training can be an excellent way to address the postural issues and muscle-balancing necessary to recover from the side effects of breast cancer treatment. Pilates can help alleviate pain from breast cancer operative procedures, restore joint mobility and tissue integrity, and help regain lost strength. But most importantly, Pilates is a mind-body discipline that brings the two into harmony and can help remind us of the joy of movement,” Young Fitness wrote on their blog.

Although Young Fitness frequently donates to community organizations and schools, this is the first time they have done a program like this, something Young hopes will be so successful it can be an annual event.

“We’d love to keep doing this, depending on interest, absolutely,” she said.

The program is open to all breast cancer survivors. Currently there are three spots still open. To apply to the program, fill out Young Fitness’ short questionnaire by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28. Scholarship winners will be notified by Friday, October 30. The program will begin to following week.