Celebrity Health and Wellbeing CoachMr Motivator has filmed videos for the NHS to help cancer patients prepare for surgery through exercising at home.

Derrick Evans MBE, known as Mr Motivator, rose to fame in the 1990s with appearances on breakfast TV show GMTV.

He has now filmed several videos with Lancaster University Medical School where he gives exercise tips to NHS patients to help improve their fitness before undergoing chemotherapy.

Mr Motivator was invited by Dr Chris Gaffney who is a Senior Lecturer in Integrative Physiology, where his work examines the benefits and mechanisms of “prehabilitation” for patients with cancer.

Prehabilitation includes exercise, nutrition and psychological and social interventions to optimise both physical and brain health before surgery or other treatment, such as chemotherapy.

Dr Gaffney said: “Cancer treatment including chemotherapy is a huge stress on the body and brain. Our work in prehabilitation is to protect against this stress and improve outcomes for cancer patients.”

Mr Motivator said: “Health challenges take us on a real journey — the ups, the downs, and everything in between. My videos are here to bring you guidance, information and FUN, all wrapped up with great music to get you moving and, most importantly, make you FEEL GOOD. I believe that movement and laughter are the best medicine. Put them into your daily life and you’ll boost your overall sense of wellbeing.”

This research project will examine how effective prehabilitation is before chemotherapy. One of the most common side effects of chemotherapy is “chemobrain” and the project, funded by Northwest Cancer Research, is focused on understanding how prehabilitation might help prevent the negative effects of chemotherapy on the brain.

Alastair Richards, CEO of North West Cancer Research, said: “We are proud to support this innovative project, which has the potential to transform the way we prepare patients for chemotherapy. Understanding how prehabilitation can protect both physical and cognitive health is an exciting step forward. Research like this is vital in helping us improve quality of life for people affected by cancer across the Northwest. We’re grateful to Mr Motivator for helping raise awareness of this important work and for bringing his trademark enthusiasm to help support patients.”

Patients taking part in the research project will be able to access the videos through an online platform as part of the randomised controlled trial. If successful, the aim is to make this available across the NHS after the trial has finished.

Previous research by Lancaster University and East Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust found that prehabilitation interventions of between one and four weeks can reduce cancer patients’ stay in hospital by 1.8 days compared with standard care.