Reid Hayward, Ph.D.

As a Professor of Sport and Exercise Science and the Director of UNCCRI, Reid Hayward, Ph.D. works with graduate and undergraduate students to help cancer patients and survivors.

“The focus of our work is to improve the quality of life for cancer survivors by providing clinical exercise-based rehabilitation programs, by educating those individuals who provide exercise-based rehabilitation services, and by conducting basic and applied research that advances our understanding of cancer rehabilitation,” Hayward says.

Hayward explains that what’s unique about UNC’s work with patients, students and research is that all three intersect in hands-on understanding.

“The relationship between patients and students is palpable,” Hayward says. “Imagine a 20-year-old invincible college student looking at a person who is facing death and is inspired by them, while the patient is inspired, witnessing a young person putting their education into practice. I love being part of that.”

Hayward earned his bachelor’s degree at Harding University in Arkansas, followed by his master’s at the University of Kansas and his Ph.D. at the University of Arkansas.

UNC’s groundbreaking work in cancer rehabilitation has led him to Washington D.C., where he’s spoken to doctors at the National Institutes of Health, and to Memphis, where he’s twice given presentations to the teams at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.