Moving through cancer journey with exercise
Proud to be Me is a series of stories about ordinary and extraordinary people in the Selwyn District. With Daffodil Day coming up on August 28, Coen Lammers spoke to personal trainer Ainsley Burton about getting cancer patients into exercise and about her own battle with the disease.
Ainsley Burton is firm believer that moving your body is the secret to a better life, even when you are battling cancer and no matter what age.
“You are never too old to start moving,” says Burton, who owns health and fitness studio Rejuvenate You in Springfield and also runs specialised weekly exercise classes for people with cancer in the Selwyn Sports Centre.
Burton has been a driving force behind Cancer Society fundraising events in her Malvern area, but in recent years decided to tap into her professional skills as a personal trainer to support people with cancer.
Through a chance meeting with Jess Allen, who was working with cancer patients at St Georges Hospital and was looking for pilot exercise sessions in Selwyn, they created CanMove, an exercise group for women with all cancers.
“There are a lot of established groups for breast cancer and prostate, but there wasn’t really anything for all cancers,” says Burton, who started small but has seen a steady growth.
“I think one person the first time,” Burton recalls. “We took over two years in April and we have 20 names on the list now.”
Some participants are in treatment, some have returned to work, and some are cancer-free, but still come for the connection.
“It’s just a lovely camaraderie. Getting together and doing some exercise and chatting. Everybody supporting one another, it’s really, really nice.”
Burton says the people often need that support even more when treatment ends. “You’re going through these treatments, you’re getting this attention, and then you come out the other side and everything stops. There’s no support any more, so what we’re doing is covering for that as well.”
The success of CanMove also drew the attention of Blue Brothers, a men’s support group for all cancers, who already were running exercise groups in Christchurch, Ashburton, Rangiora and Blenheim, and wanted to start a Selwyn group.
“The coffee is afterwards is probably more important.” Laughs Burton. “The exercise is almost the byproduct.”
She says men tend to be a bit more hesitant to join support groups, so the exercise helps to break the ice before finding a supportive and confidential environment.
In 2020, Burton herself was diagnosed with cancer and went through the journey herself.
She is doing well, thanks to a targeted drug, but also by staying active, staying connected and trying to remain positive.
“I think probably a big part was how my diagnosis was delivered, with hope and a positive approach to treatment, but also my health and fitness background,” says Burton, who is grateful her diagnosis coincided with the Covid pandemic.
“I’m kind of grateful for it because I think I was lucky to have the attention and care,” she says.
Burton points to research showing that regular exercise often results in better outcomes and improved quality of life for people with cancer, with lower cancer recurrence rates, fewer side-effects after treatments and improved strength, energy and well-being.
Fitness had been woven through Burton’s life since her childhood in Auckland, from sailing and tennis to skiing, hiking and personal training.
A family summer holiday awakened a lifelong love affair with the South Island mountains, and after a few winters in Switzerland, Burton decided to take the permanent leap down South and when a job came up with a Selwyn ski wholesale. And she never left, switching between ski-related jobs and hospitality.
Eventually Buron met her partner Hamish, a Malvern farmer, and set up a café in the Springfield train station to cater for locals and tourists on the TranzAlpine train tourists.
Over the next decade, Burton built a successful hospitality business, but the former ski instructor was hankering for her old lifestyle of fitness and exercise. A chance meeting with a personal trainer inspired Burton to get her own personal trainer diploma, “studying videos while I as making muffins in the café,” then hired another space in the train station and launched Rejuvenate You, back in 2012.
The training studio has since moved to a refurbished woolshed on the family farm where Burton works one-on-one and with small groups.
“I’ve always tried to pride myself on having a private setting in a fitness environment. My clients say they enjoy coming, but they enjoy the venue as much as the actual classes.”
On Tuesdays, after her early morning sessions in Springfield, Burton heads to Rolleston to deliver the CanMove class at 10am and meet with Blue Brothers 2pm in the Selwyn Sports Centre.
In the past month, she also started the Malver Cancer Exercise Session in at the Rejuvenate You studio, each Monday at 1pm, with a cuppa afterwards.
She is grateful to the Cancer Society for supporting CanMove, Blue Brothers Movement and the Malver sessions because the routine gives participants structure and the greater value is belonging.
“Cancer is still in the back of your mind,” she says. “You don’t know whether it’s going to come back.”
Her own experience helps her meet people where they are. She knows the awkward silences that can follow a diagnosis.
“If you mention the word cancer, the conversation stops. People just don’t know what to say.”
Her advice is simple: keep showing up to support your friends and family.
Burton loves watching her participants enjoy the benefits of movement, getting stronger, more flexible, find companionship and reclaiming their confidence.
“It’s just getting people moving, pain-free, and getting a better quality of life.”
Last modified: 22 Aug 2026 2:55pm