I currently have more than 20 personal training clients in addition to those that participate in my weekly advanced group and kids’ classes. As such, I have the wonderful privilege of knowing a good bit of each of these clients’ personal journeys. Obviously, I love training people and helping them see how strong and capable they are physically, but I also love that I get to hear these stories. I haven’t heard a story yet that hasn’t really impressed or inspired me in a big way. I am delighted when I get to share them because I think they need to be heard and maybe (hopefully!), they will inspire you as much as they do me.
I chose Elizabeth’s journey this month because everyone I know has been directly affected in one way or another by cancer. My own personal experience with cancer started with my father passing when he was just 54 years old. Thankfully, cancer research and treatment has come a very long way since then, and people like Elizabeth, are showing that even though it is an unimaginable battle for those of us who haven’t been through it, we can all summon strength we never knew we had. I am beyond excited to share this woman’s amazing journey and I know you’ll understand why after you read about it (and watch the videos!).
When Elizabeth, a wife and mother of two, came in to meet me and told me she was a pancreatic cancer survivor, I admit I was shocked. Like most of you probably, I had only heard that this type of cancer was the most aggressive and least treatable. I took her through a brief assessment and light workout and she surprised me yet again with her physical strength given everything her body has been through.
Elizabeth shows up consistently two days a week after teaching Pre-K and those are two of my most enjoyable hours of the week. Her fitness goals are not complicated. We aren’t training for a race, competition, to PR in anything specifically, or to gain or lose large amounts of weight. She simply wants to increase definition (especially in her “stomach, butt and arms!” she says) and strengthen and improve balance in her right foot and leg. She shared with me that she particularly likes the outdoor workouts we do when weather permits, using the TRX, and the balance work we do. She is always game for a challenge and we mix it up quite a bit! Elizabeth occasionally brings her daughter Abigail to her sessions and then it’s quite fun to watch them perform partner exercises and push each other.
Below is a brief description she wrote for me about her incredible journey and below that are links to 3 videos that were produced about her story. Absolutely worth the brief time to watch! Maybe grab a tissue first!!!!
If you would like to do something to help find a cure, Elizabeth’s cancer research charity of choice is the TGen Foundation www.tgen.org.
I will be having a complimentary Saturday morning bootcamp one day this summer where participants can opt to provide a donation which will go to this foundation in lieu of a class fee. Stay tuned for more details!
Elizabeth O’Connor - May 2017 Client of the Month
My cancer journey has been a life-changing experience. I was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer in November 2010 at the age of 31 after the birth of my son. I felt as though I likely had less than a year of life remaining before I left this earth. I just started fighting though by preparing myself mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and started a chemotherapy regimen. I have had many pivotal moments and people in my life throughout this process and the first moment was my first scan after several months of chemotherapy where the scan showed improvement. I continued with my doctors changing my chemotherapy regimen and my scans improved each time. Eventually my doctors started talking radiation and surgery, something I was initially told would never happen.
Since 2010 I had pancreas surgery in 2012 where they removed the primary tumor, removed my spleen, re-routed major arteries, and removed some of my stomach lining. In 2014, I had recurrence of pancreatic cancer in my left lung, which resulted in surgery to remove part of that lung. Then in November another surgery to remove pancreatic cancer that appeared in my brain. That also caused nerve damage to my right foot. I had to re-learn how to use my foot through many hours of physical therapy. Since all of that, I have been able to take an oral chemotherapy drug and things have been calm for now and I actually feel like I am in better healthy now than I have ever been before.
The most pivotal people in my life start with God…he has given me life! From there the list includes the following:
· Dr. Daniel Dubovsky, my Atlanta oncologist. He has always been incredibly encouraging and helped me to want to fight and not give up
· My family and friends…I cannot even comprehend everything my family and friends have done for us and I am forever grateful. It has been everything from helping to complete Andrew’s nursery before he came home from the hospital, a shoulder to cry on, prepared meals, helping with childcare, living with me, pep talks, prayers, you name it! It has been done for us. They are all angels.
· Dr. Daniel Von Hoff is one of my oncologists in Arizona. He is an absolute genius and has devoted so much time and research to pancreatic cancer. Not to mention he is extremely caring and helps me to be a fighter
· Dr. Erkut Boranzki, my other oncologist in Arizona. He is a wonderful doctor who devotes his time and research to pancreatic cancer
· Dr. Douglas Evans who performed my pancreas surgery
· All my doctors at Duke University
The biggest thing I learned about myself throughout this journey is how strong I am to be able to fight such a horrible disease. I have also learned to live one day at a time! After all, that is all that we are promised! I strive to be nice to everyone and not argue about things that in the long run don’t really matter. I realized that material things don’t matter…God, family and friends matter.
If I could impart any wisdom to others it would be to never give up hope, don’t sweat the small stuff and enjoy everything! Fighting cancer is as much mental as it is physical. If you let a doctor or you tell yourself, you can’t beat your cancer, it can be very disheartening. When I was first diagnosed, I had a doctor that did not give me much hope. When I went for my first visit with my oncologist, Dr. Daniel Dubovsky, I was really scared he was going to walk in and tell me that I have a few good months left on this earth. Instead this incredible doctor gave me hope, told me we were going to fight this disease, and told me that no one holds a crystal ball to my life. What a great gift! It is true, only God knows how many days we have on this earth and don’t let a doctor convince you that you cannot fight and beat cancer!
Cancer research is promising and awareness is vital! I do believe that there will be a test developed for the early detection on pancreatic cancer.
I hope people will help the cause by educating themselves about new research and treatments and consider donating to TGen and Dr. Daniel Van Hoff. Ultimately, I hope a cure for cancer is found during my lifetime!