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Mairead Cantwell

Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Sport & Health Sciences

Dr. Mairéad Cantwell is an assistant lecturer in the Department of Sport and Health Sciences at AIT. Mairéad graduated from Dublin City University with a first class honours degree in Sport Science and Health, and completed her M.Sc. at Liverpool John Moores University in Clinical Exercise Physiology, where she graduated with distinction. Mairéad worked as a clinical exercise physiologist in Ireland, the UK and Australia from 2011-2018 where she gained extensive experience in cardiac, pulmonary and oncology rehabilitation in both hospital and community-based settings. Mairéad completed her PhD at Dublin City University in 2019 in the area of oncology rehabilitation. Her PhD was funded by the Irish Cancer Society and Mairéad was the recipient of the Irish Cancer Society’s First PhD Researcher of the Year Award. Mairéad began her current role at AIT in 2018 having previously taught at Dublin City University and Portobello Institute.

Journal Articles

Cantwell, M., Walsh, D., Furlong, B., Loughney, L., McCaffrey, N., Moyna, N., &
Woods, C. (2020). Physical activity across the cancer journey: experiences and
recommendations from people living with and beyond cancer. Physical Therapy, 100(3):575-585. doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzz136.

Kehoe, B., Skelly, F., Moyna, N., Cantwell, M., Boran, L., Daly, L., McCarren, A., Dowd, K., Woods, C., McCaffrey, N. and Loughney, L. (2020). The effect of participating in MedEx Wellness, a community-based chronic disease exercise rehabilitation programme, on physical, clinical and psychological health: A study protocol for a cohort trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 19. Doi: org/10.1016/j.conctc.2020.100591

Cantwell, M., Furlong, B., Woods, C., McCaffrey, N., Loughney, L., Skelly, F.,
McCarren, A., & Moyna, N. (2019). The long-term effects of a physical activity
behaviour change intervention on cancer survivors’ levels of depression, fatigue
and mental well-being. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 51(6), 237. doi:
10.1249/01.mss.0000561218.12596.65

Cantwell, M., Walsh, D., Furlong, B., Moyna, N., McCaffrey, N., Boran, L., Smyth,
S., & Woods, C. (2018). Healthcare professionals’ knowledge and practice of
physical activity promotion in cancer care: challenges and solutions. European
Journal of Cancer Care, 27(2), e12795. doi: 10.1111/ecc.12795

Cooney, M., Moyna, N., Walsh, D., Furlong, B., Loughney, L., Boran, L., Smyth, S.
& Woods, C. (2017). Cancer Survivors’ Experiences of Physical Activity: Exercise
as a Vehicle For Recovery? Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 49(5S), 565.
doi: 10.1249/01.mss.0000518468.57191.f4

Finch, M., Yoong, S.L., Thomson, R.J., Seward, K., Cooney, M., Jones, J., Fielding, Alison, Wiggers, J., Gillham, K., & Wolfenden, L. (2015). A pragmatic randomised controlled trial of an implementation intervention to increase healthy eating and physical activity-promoting policies, and practices in centre-based childcare services: study protocol. BMJ Open, 5:e006706. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006706

Athlone Institute of Technology

September 2018 - Present

Dublin City University
January 2018 – June 2018

Portobello Institute
September 2016 – September 2018

International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity - Cancer Prevention and Management Special Interest Group - Communications Officer (2016 - Present); Professional Registration - European Qualifications Framework (EQF) Level 4 Personal Trainer with The Register of Exercise Professionals Ireland; Accredited Exercise Physiologist – Exercise and Sports Science Australia (2013-2015)

  • Biography

    Dr. Mairéad Cantwell is an assistant lecturer in the Department of Sport and Health Sciences at AIT. Mairéad graduated from Dublin City University with a first class honours degree in Sport Science and Health, and completed her M.Sc. at Liverpool John Moores University in Clinical Exercise Physiology, where she graduated with distinction. Mairéad worked as a clinical exercise physiologist in Ireland, the UK and Australia from 2011-2018 where she gained extensive experience in cardiac, pulmonary and oncology rehabilitation in both hospital and community-based settings. Mairéad completed her PhD at Dublin City University in 2019 in the area of oncology rehabilitation. Her PhD was funded by the Irish Cancer Society and Mairéad was the recipient of the Irish Cancer Society’s First PhD Researcher of the Year Award. Mairéad began her current role at AIT in 2018 having previously taught at Dublin City University and Portobello Institute.

  • Research & Consultancy

    Journal Articles

    Cantwell, M., Walsh, D., Furlong, B., Loughney, L., McCaffrey, N., Moyna, N., &
    Woods, C. (2020). Physical activity across the cancer journey: experiences and
    recommendations from people living with and beyond cancer. Physical Therapy, 100(3):575-585. doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzz136.

    Kehoe, B., Skelly, F., Moyna, N., Cantwell, M., Boran, L., Daly, L., McCarren, A., Dowd, K., Woods, C., McCaffrey, N. and Loughney, L. (2020). The effect of participating in MedEx Wellness, a community-based chronic disease exercise rehabilitation programme, on physical, clinical and psychological health: A study protocol for a cohort trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 19. Doi: org/10.1016/j.conctc.2020.100591

    Cantwell, M., Furlong, B., Woods, C., McCaffrey, N., Loughney, L., Skelly, F.,
    McCarren, A., & Moyna, N. (2019). The long-term effects of a physical activity
    behaviour change intervention on cancer survivors’ levels of depression, fatigue
    and mental well-being. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 51(6), 237. doi:
    10.1249/01.mss.0000561218.12596.65

    Cantwell, M., Walsh, D., Furlong, B., Moyna, N., McCaffrey, N., Boran, L., Smyth,
    S., & Woods, C. (2018). Healthcare professionals’ knowledge and practice of
    physical activity promotion in cancer care: challenges and solutions. European
    Journal of Cancer Care, 27(2), e12795. doi: 10.1111/ecc.12795

    Cooney, M., Moyna, N., Walsh, D., Furlong, B., Loughney, L., Boran, L., Smyth, S.
    & Woods, C. (2017). Cancer Survivors’ Experiences of Physical Activity: Exercise
    as a Vehicle For Recovery? Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 49(5S), 565.
    doi: 10.1249/01.mss.0000518468.57191.f4

    Finch, M., Yoong, S.L., Thomson, R.J., Seward, K., Cooney, M., Jones, J., Fielding, Alison, Wiggers, J., Gillham, K., & Wolfenden, L. (2015). A pragmatic randomised controlled trial of an implementation intervention to increase healthy eating and physical activity-promoting policies, and practices in centre-based childcare services: study protocol. BMJ Open, 5:e006706. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006706

  • Teaching Experience

    Athlone Institute of Technology

    September 2018 - Present

    Dublin City University
    January 2018 – June 2018

    Portobello Institute
    September 2016 – September 2018

  • Membership of Academic/Professional Bodies

    International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity - Cancer Prevention and Management Special Interest Group - Communications Officer (2016 - Present); Professional Registration - European Qualifications Framework (EQF) Level 4 Personal Trainer with The Register of Exercise Professionals Ireland; Accredited Exercise Physiologist – Exercise and Sports Science Australia (2013-2015)