Gentle Yoga for Cancer Patients

"Since I have been regularly attending Gentle yoga classes at HappyTree, I no longer take any pain medications, I sleep well and the mobility of my arm has increased tremendously."
- Cancer patient and Gentle Yoga student

Since 2007, I've had the privilege of teaching yoga to cancer patients. Beginning at the Montreal General and The Royal Victoria Hospitals, I volunteered under Cedars CanSupport twice a week, guiding patients through gentle stretches, deep breathing and guided relaxation to soothe their nerves and calm their minds prior to chemotherapy.

The classes were so well received that in 2008, CanSupport and my yoga studio, HappyTree, launched a partnership to offer gentle yoga twice a week free of charge for cancer patients and survivors. The program gained momentum and was such a heartfelt success that CanSupport increased their financial sponsorship in 2014, allowing my studio to add a third free weekly class to our schedule.  

In May 2016, CanSupport sadly informed us that due to reorganizational issues associated with their amalgamation into the new McGill University Health Centre, it was no longer part of their mandate to sponsor the classes and our funding would be cut as of June 1st, 2016. 

Our whole community was saddened by this news. Feedback from cancer patients has been tremendous and it would be heartbreaking to see such a beneficial and well-loved program come to an unnecessary end. 

“I find Gentle yoga to be such a positive, uplifting experience. Sometimes, I feel like a totally different person after yoga class. I may have come there tired, anxious or stressed and after yoga I feel happy and relaxed.”
- Cancer patient and Gentle Yoga student

The gentle yoga classes restore flexibility after surgery and radiation treatments, reduce the enormous stress that is part of the cancer journey and provide a warm and supportive environment outside of the hospital walls so often associated with the anxiety of tests and treatments.  

"HappyTree is an extraordinary place: I start to relax as soon as I open its doors and walk up the stairs. It is the singularly most positive, supportive and empowering environment I have ever been in."
- Cancer patient and Gentle Yoga student

As a small, independent yoga studio, we cannot continue to fund these classes on our own. With your help, we hope to continue offering free gentle yoga to a community of people who really need it - many of whom could not afford it otherwise.

Your donation and the simple act of sharing this story with your friends and family will go a long way in supporting cancer patients and survivors, through Gentle Yoga in our healing community.


With your help, I hope to be able to continue to offer these classes free for cancer patients, for many years to come.

Sincerely and with heartfelt appreciation,

Melanie Richards,
Director, HappyTree Yoga Studio

“We highly recommend the sponsorship of HappyTree’s initiative to support cancer patients. It has been an absolute pleasure collaborating with Melanie and HappyTree and we know they will continue to offer outstanding classes.”
- Andreanne Robitaille, Director, Cedars CanSupport & Jennifer Finestone, Program Coordinator, Cedars CanSupport