Louise Ballantyne thought she hated exercise; until cancer changed everything.

In this heartfelt episode, exercise & rehabilitation specialist and cancer advocate Louise Ballantyne sits down with Paul in the world-famous Podcast Studio Glasgow.

Triggered by her dad’s terminal liver/bile duct cancer diagnosis in 2019, Louise turned grief into purpose. She reveals how simple movement helped her father feel alive during his toughest chemo days, and why she now specialises in cancer rehabilitation and prehab.

We talk:

• Why the gym can feel terrifying after diagnosis (and what to do instead)
• Starting small: the power of a 5–10 minute walk when you feel broken
• The missing link between physical and mental health in cancer care
• Why men (especially our generation) still put off getting lumps checked
• Toxic positivity, comparison traps, and social media’s double-edged sword
• Breathwork, mindfulness, and practical tools to calm cancer-related anxiety
• How exercise affects testosterone, fatigue, recurrence risk, and long-term recovery
• Why holistic care still feels like a postcode lottery, and what’s changing

Whether you’re at the start of a cancer journey, in the middle of treatment, in surveillance, or supporting someone you love; Louise’s message is clear: start where you are, move in any way you can, and never underestimate the strength you rebuild, one small step at a time.

“Movement isn’t just exercise. It’s reclaiming your identity.”

Instagram & website: @lou_livingomni | livingomni.com