Dr Cindy Forbes

I am originally from Nova Scotia, Canada and completed most of my graduate training at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. After completing my PhD in 2015, I worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia as well as a Visiting Research Fellow for 6 months with the University of Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia.

More detail can be found on my ResearchGate profile page.

I am interested in how to improve quality of life among people with cancer using physical activity behaviour change. I am also interested in how digital technologies such as websites and wearable activity trackers can be used to assist this behaviour change.

Research grants

1. Short CE, Galvão D, Vandelanotte C, Forbes CC, Brook NR, Newton R, Chambers S, Wittert G. (2017). Delivering personalized and evidence-based exercise support to men with metastatic prostate cancer via the internet - A pilot RCT examining intervention impact on behaviour change and quality of life. Funded by the ANZUP Cancer Trials Group Below the Belt Research Fund (1 year; $50,000 AUD).

2. Forbes CC, Keats MR, Younis T, Blanchard CM. (2017). Feasibility of an eHealth/mHealth physical activity and sedentary behaviour change program among cancer survivors. Funded by the Nova Scotia Health Authority – Research Fund. (2 years; $24,968).

3. Blanchard CM, Forbes CC, & Giacomantonio N. (2016). Getting heart disease patients more active and less sedentary: An eHealth/mHealth feasibility study. Funded by the Nova Scotia Health Authority - Research Fund – 1 year ($14,973).

4. Blanchard CM, Forbes CC, Younis T. (2016). Examining strategies to engage in healthy behaviours among breast cancer survivors. Funded by the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute Seed Fund, 1 year ($10,000).

5. Courneya KS (PI), Forbes CC, Blanchard CM, Mummery WK. (2011). Promoting physical activity in Nova Scotian cancer survivors. Funded by the University of Alberta - EFF Support for the Advancement of Scholarship Grant Program, 1 year ($6,000).

Cindy's publications are available to view on Worktribe.

I currently have collaborations with researchers in Canada and Australia; we are developing and testing the feasibility of individually tailored, website delivered exercise programs and support for people diagnosed with cancer.

I welcome enquiries from prospective students with similar interests in exercise oncology, behaviour change, and/or digital technology.

Currently supervising

Fadel Lhaf - Hull York Medical School INSPIRE student on "Attitudes, facilitators, and barriers to delivering nutrition and activity counselling/advice to patients with a cancer diagnosis: systematic review"

Journal Reviewer

Invited reviewer for Journal of Medical Internet Research, Journal of Medical Internet Research – Research Protocols, International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, BMC Cancer, BMC Public Health, European Journal of Cancer Care, Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica (AOGS), British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Thesis Examiner

1. Honours Thesis Examiner, 2017. Department of Psychology, Central Queensland University, Queensland, Australia.

Conference Advisory/Organizing Committee

1. Member, SBM Annual Action Team, 2017-2018.

Contributions to Professional Societies and Organizations

1. Committee Member, International Society of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity: Communications Committee (2018-present).

2. Committee Member, Canadian Society for Psychomotor and Sport Psychology Membership Committee (2016-present)

3. Affiliate Member, Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute (2015-present)

4. Member, Cancer Care Nova Scotia Physical Activity and Cancer Working Group (2015 - present)

5. Member, Canadian Society for Psychomotor and Sport Psychology (2015 - present)

6. Communications Officer for the Cancer Prevention and Management Special Interest Group with the International Society of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity (2015 - present)

7. Member, International Society of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity: eHealth/mHealth Special Interest Group (2015 - present)

8. Member, Certified Personal Trainer, Canadian Society of Exercise Physiologists (2009 – present)

Community

1. Expert Reviewer in social cognition models and exercise for “Get Active, Sit Less! Exercise and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines Guidebook for Kidney Cancer Survivors” developed by L. Trinh (2015).

2. Member, Vice President of Professional Development for Physical Education and Recreation Graduate Student Society (2014-2015)

3. Member, Communications Officer for Physical Education and Recreation Graduate Student Society (2013-2014)

Yorkshire Cancer Research Foundation, Career Development Fellowship, £385,895GBP – 5 years (2018).

Government of Australia, Endeavour Research Fellowship, $24,500AUD – 6 month visiting Postdoctoral Fellow (2017).

Dalhousie University, Department of Medicine, University Internal Medicine Research Fund, Internal Research Fellowship, $50,000CAD – 2 year part-time Fellowship (2017).

Oncology Nursing Society, Excellence in Writing Award for Quantitative Nursing Research $1000USD (for Prevalence and Correlates of Strength Exercise among Breast, Prostate, and Colorectal Cancer Survivors, 2016)

Refereed Presentations

1. Forbes CC, Keats M, Younis T, Vandelanotte C, Short CE, Blanchard CM. (2018, August). Feasibility of tailored eHealth/mHealth physical activity and sedentary behaviour change advice among breast cancer survivors. Accepted at the Annual Conference of the European Health Psychology Society, Galway, Ireland. Poster.
2. Sweeney E, Yu ZM, Dummer TJB, Cui Y, DeClercq V, Forbes CC, Grandy S, Keats M, Parker L, Thompson D, & Adisesh A. (2018, April). The effect of shift work on cardiometabolic health: findings from the Atlantic PATH cohort study. Presented at the 32nd Triennial Congress of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH), Dublin, Ireland.
3. Rundle A, Iles S, Matheson K, Cahill L, Forbes CC, Saint-Jacques N, Urquhart R, Younis T. (May, 2018). Breast cancer prevention at mammography screening and Well Women's clinics. Presented at the Breast Cancer Conference in Halifax, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Poster.
4. Forbes CC, Keats M, Younis T, Vandelanotte C, Short CE, Blanchard CM. (2018, April). Development of a tailored, web-based physical activity program and exercise plan for breast cancer survivors. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana. Poster.
5. Forbes CC, Yu ZM, Cui Y, DeClercq V, Grandy S, Keats M, Parker L, Sweeney E, Dummer T. (2018, April). Prevalence and comparison of obesity and health behaviours between urban and rural residents: an Atlantic PATH study. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana. Poster.
6. Forbes CC, Finlay AM, McIntosh, Short CE. (2018, April). A systematic review of the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of online supportive care interventions targeting men with a history of prostate cancer. In Quintiliani, LM (Chair), Huberty J, Forbes CC, Lyons E (discussant), Feasibility for eHealth and mHealth approaches for Cancer Care and Survivorship. Symposium at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana.
7. Forbes CC, Keats M, Rainham D, Younis T, Blanchard CM. (2017, June). Environments associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in breast cancer survivors in Nova Scotia, Canada. Presented at the Annual meeting of the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, Victoria, British Columbia. Poster.
8. Forbes CC, Rainham D, Giacomantonio N, Vallis M, Plotnikoff R, Rhodes R, Shields C, Fowles J, Blanchard CM. (2017, June). Examining physical activity and sedentary behaviour in people living with type 2 diabetes over a 6-month period. Presented at the Annual meeting of the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, Victoria, British Columbia. Poster.
9. Forbes CC, Cui Y, DeClercq V, Grandy S, Keats M, Parker L, Sweeney E, Yu ZM & Dummer TJB. (2017, June). A comparison of physical activity and sitting time correlates among Atlantic Canadians with and without a history of cancer. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Canadian Public Health Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Poster.
10. Sweeney E, Cui Y, DeClercq V, Forbes CC, Grandy S, Keats M, Parker L, Thompson D, Yu ZM & Dummer TJB. (2017, June). Cohort Profile: The Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (Atlantic PATH) Study. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Canadian Public Health Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Poster.
11. Yu, Z.M., Cui Y, DeClercq V, Forbes CC, Grandy S, Keats M, Parker L, Sweeney E & Dummer TJB. (2017, June). Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Obesity among Populations in Eastern Canada: the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health Study. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Canadian Public Health Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Poster.
12. DeClercq, V., Cui Y, Forbes CC, Grandy S, Keats M, Parker L, Sweeney E, Yu ZM & Dummer TJB. (2017, June). Sleep and obesity in the Atlantic PATH cohort. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Canadian Public Health Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Poster.
13. Cui Y, DeClercq V, Forbes CC, Grandy S, Keats M, Parker L, Sweeney E, Yu ZM & Dummer TJB. (2017, June). Association between Physical Activity and Self-Rated Health in Atlantic Canadians. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Canadian Public Health Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Poster.
14. Forbes CC, Keats M, Rainham D, Younis T, Blanchard CM. (2017, March). Changes in objectively measured activity over 6 months among breast cancer survivors on adjuvant therapy. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Diego, California. Poster.
15. Forbes CC, DeClercq V, Keats M. (2017, March). Associations between physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep habits among an Atlantic Canadian cohort. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Diego, California. Poster.
16. Keats MR, Dummer Tϯ, & Atlantic PATH Team. (2017, March). Multimorbidity and Physical Activity in Atlantic Canadians. In J. Suls & M.B. Howren (Chairs), Multimorbidity in Older Adults and Cancer Survivors: Behavioral, Cogntitive-Affective, and Biological Processes. Symposium presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Diego, California, USA. (ϯ Presenter)
17. Forbes CC, Keats M, Rainham D, Younis T, Laczy R, Blanchard CM. (2016, May). Associations between quality of life and objectively measured physical activity among breast cancer survivors currently undergoing adjuvant therapy. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Poster.
18. Forbes CC, Blanchard CM, Mummery WK, Courneya KS. (2016, March). Prevalence and correlates of sedentary behaviour among Nova Scotian cancer survivors. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Washington, DC. Poster.
19. Forbes CC, Blanchard CM, Mummery WK, Courneya KS. (2016, March). Associations between dog ownership and physical activity among breast, prostate and colorectal cancer survivors. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Washington, DC. Poster.
20. Forbes CC, Laczy R, Keats M, Rainham D, Younis T, Blanchard CM. (2015, October). Prevalence of objectively measured physical and sedentary behaviour in Nova Scotian breast cancer survivors undergoing adjuvant therapy. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology, Edmonton, Alberta. Oral presentation.
21. Forbes CC, Blanchard CM, Mummery WK, Courneya KS. (2015, October). Motivational effects of an internet-delivered physical activity behaviour change program in Nova Scotian cancer survivors. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology, Edmonton, Alberta. Oral presentation.
22. Courneya KS, Segal RJ, Vallerand JR, Forbes CC, Crawford JJ, Dolan LB, Friedenreich CM, Reid RD, Gelmon K, Mackey JR, McKenzie DC. (2015, October). Motivation for Different Types and Doses of Exercise During Breast Cancer Chemotherapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology, Edmonton, Alberta. Oral presentation.
23. Forbes CC, Blanchard CM, Mummery WK, Courneya KS. (2015, June). Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an online intervention to increase physical activity in Nova Scotian cancer survivors. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, Edinburgh, Scotland. Short oral presentation.
24. Forbes CC, Blanchard CM, Mummery WK, Courneya KS. (2015, June). Prevalence and correlates of strength exercise among breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors in Nova Scotia, Canada. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, Edinburgh, Scotland. Poster
25. Forbes CC, Blanchard CM, Mummery WK, Courneya KS. (2014, April). A comparison of physical activity preferences among breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors in Nova Scotia, Canada. Poster presented at the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Poster
26. Courneya KS, McKenzie DC, Mackey JR, Gelmon K, Friedenreich CM, Yasui Y, Reid RD, Cook D, Proulx C, Dolan LB, Forbes CC, Wooding E, Trinh L, Segal RJ. (2013, December). Effects of exercise dose and type during breast cancer chemotherapy: Multicenter randomized trial. Poster discussion presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, San Antonio, TX.
27. Forbes CC, Blanchard CM, Mummery WK, Courneya KS. (2013, May). A comparison of physical activity correlates across breast, prostate and colorectal cancer survivors in Nova Scotia. Poster presented at the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, Ghent, Belgium. Poster
28. Forbes CC, Plotnikoff RC, Courneya KS. (2008, May). Physical activity preferences and type 2 diabetes: Exploring demographic, cognitive, and behavioural differences. Poster presented at the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, Banff, AB. Poster

Pre-Conference Sessions

1. Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (Atlantic PATH) Team. (2017, June). National Population Health Data: An Overview of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project and the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Canadian Public Health Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Invited Presentations

1. Forbes CC. (2017, October). Online physical activity behaviour change support among cancer survivors. Invited public lecture to Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition at University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
2. Forbes CC. (2017, October). Online physical activity behaviour change support among cancer survivors. Invited presentation to Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Seminar Series at University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
3. Forbes CC. (2017, October). Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Change among Cancer Survivors. Invited presentation to Physical Activity Research Group Seminar Series at Central skypQueensland University, Rockhampton, QLD, Australia.
4. Short CE & Forbes CC. (2017, September). Enhancing online physical activity behaviour change support for men with a history of prostate cancer. Invited presentation to Health Psychology & Behavioural Medicine Research Group September Seminar at Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
5. Forbes CC & Short CE. (2017, August). Prescribing exercise via the internet to men living with metastatic prostate cancer– useful or useless? Invited presentation to Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men’s Health August Research Seminar at University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
6. Forbes CC. (2016, October). Physical Activity and Cancer. Invited presentation given to NSHA Primary Cancer Network, Halifax, NS.
7. Forbes CC. (2015, November). Physical Activity and Cancer. Invited presentation given to Doctors Nova Scotia General Practitioners Council, Halifax, NS.
8. Forbes CC. (2011, September) Current Clinical Trials in Exercise Oncology. Invited presentation given to Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB.