Meeting patients where they are: How at-home research is changing cancer care

ORLANDO, Fla. — When facing cancer, even the smallest tasks can feel overwhelming.

For many patients, traveling to appointments, navigating parking and waiting for care can add stress to an already difficult journey — and that burden often extends to participating in clinical research.

That’s why AdventHealth is rethinking how cancer research is delivered — bringing it directly into patients’ homes.

“That at-home approach was everything,” said Jay Lake, a research participant. “If I would’ve been asked to come into Orlando three or four days a week, it would’ve been a non-starter.”

After being diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022, Lake underwent surgery and chemotherapy, pushing through treatment while navigating its physical and emotional toll.

“Even after everything, it’s hard not to think, ‘When is it going to come back?’” Lake said. “Any little sign, you start thinking, ‘Here it comes again.’”

After treatment, Lake found a new way to rebuild strength — this time through research. He enrolled in AdventHealth’s RESTORE (Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Skeletal Muscle Remodeling in Colorectal Cancer) trial, which explores how exercise influences recovery and muscle health after cancer treatment.

The program helped him rebuild strength and confidence from home, giving him a greater sense of control while contributing to research that could help others.

“Going through a study like this, there was support and encouragement,” Lake said. “There were a lot of things that changed me physically and mentally.”

His experience reflects a broader shift in how cancer research is being delivered — one led by Justin Brown, Ph.D., director of the Exercise in Cancer Biology Research Program at AdventHealth’s Research Institute.

“I have a fundamental belief that when you don’t feel good, the last thing you want to do is leave your home,” Dr. Brown said. “Rather than ask patients to come to us, we go to them.”

Dr. Brown’s work builds on growing evidence that lifestyle factors like exercise can shape how patients feel, function and recover during and after cancer treatment.

At AdventHealth, that insight is translating into research designed to fit into patients’ daily lives — not the other way around.

Through this approach, patients receive exercise equipment, wearable technology and personalized support, often without the need for frequent in-person visits.

Supporting the whole person

Participants are paired with exercise physiologists who tailor programs and provide consistent guidance.

“We do weekly check-ins, whether that’s phone calls or emails,” said Kassandra Bradley, an exercise physiologist. “I monitor their progress and help guide them through exercise while they’re undergoing treatment.”

That support helps patients stay engaged — even on difficult days — while fostering a sense of connection.

“I was at home, but I wasn’t alone,” Lake said.

Restoring control during treatment

A cancer diagnosis can often bring a loss of control, with treatment decisions moving quickly, leaving little room for patients to actively participate in their care. Dr. Brown’s research is designed to change that.

“They are not a passive bystander in the fight for their own life,” he said. “They are actively on the front lines, and we do everything we can to support them.”

By focusing on exercise and lifestyle, patients gain tools they can carry into daily life — helping reduce anxiety and build confidence in managing their health.

“When you’re healthy in body, it really helps you mentally, too,” Lake said. “You have more energy to give to your family. You have more energy to give to life.”

Expanding access through innovation

RESTORE is one of several at-home clinical trials at AdventHealth designed to expand access to care:

• ACTION (Adaptive Randomization of Aerobic Exercise During Chemotherapy in Colon Cancer) — A fully remote study evaluating whether different levels of exercise can help patients better tolerate chemotherapy and complete treatment as planned.
• SUNRISE (Statewide Unified Network for Remote Intervention of Strength and Exercise) — A fully remote, statewide study funded by the Florida Department of Health that evaluates whether at-home exercise programs can help patients with gastrointestinal and lung cancers better tolerate treatment and improve quality of life.

Shaping the future of cancer care

By meeting patients where they are, AdventHealth is helping them feel more supported, more capable and more connected throughout their journey while advancing research that can benefit others.

“You have access to tomorrow’s standard of care today,” said Dr. Brown.

For Lake, the impact continues long after the study ended. What started as a clinical trial has become part of how he approaches his health.

“It’s not a finish,” he said. “It’s a beginning.”

The AdventHealth Research Institute is currently enrolling participants for the RESTORE and ACTION trials. Enrollment for SUNRISE will open soon. To learn more or participate, click here.