About Me
rise above the ashes
“Sometimes in life, you must die a little on the inside
in order to be reborn and rise again as a stronger, wiser version of yourself”
Rori Zura
I had been finding lumps in my breasts since 2016 and have a very rich history of family members with all types of cancers, especially breast. After finding out that I had very dense, and cystic breasts, I wanted to have a preventative mastectomy to try and avoid going through the same thing I saw my family members go through.
Unfortunately, I was unable to receive such a procedure without having to pay for it out of pocket. Fast forward to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and I found another lump, but I brushed it off as being just another cyst.
When it didn’t seem to go away after finishing my period, I knew something was wrong. It was then that I officially became diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer on august 17th, 2020 at the age of 33 years old.
I’ve always been an active person, my mom used to say when I was a baby I learned to run before I could walk and I’ve been on the go ever since. I wasn’t allowing cancer to stop that part of my life, so I learned how to adapt and overcome any obstacle that stood in my way during treatment.
I was able to use fitness to help combat my fight against cancer, and as a cancer exercise specialist I want to help you do the same!
My Passion
During the course of my treatment, I experienced some setbacks which can be very typical during a cancer diagnosis. Unfortunately though, one of my setbacks ended up becoming a major one.
After waking up from my double mastectomy I was told that my lymph nodes were clear and the remaining tumor left over in my breast had been successfully removed. I was absolutely beside myself, I reached the finish line and I had won. Little did I know a week later my surgeon would be calling me to tell me that the full pathology of my lymph nodes, unfortunately, showed micro-metastasis and I’d need to go through another surgery to remove the remaining lymph nodes.
I immediately knew what this meant. I’d be at very high risk for lymphedema by going through with this surgery and I was not happy. When I finally calmed down and was able to meet with my surgeon face to face, I asked about being able to see a lymphedema therapist so I could learn how to pro-actively manage lymphedema if I went through with this surgery.
This is the moment where Foobs & Fitness was born. I was so tired of people telling me not to do anything until the signs are already there. I wasn’t allowed to remove my breasts to avoid getting to this point in my life and I’ll be damned if I let history repeat itself. I knew that if I was going through situations like this myself, surely others had to be also,
I went back to school at the National Academy of Sports Medicine during my extended treatment plan of radiation and oral chemo to become a Certified Personal Trainer. I then become a Cancer Exercise Specialist with the Cancer Exercise Training Institute.
I’m dedicated to ensuring that no one has to go through a fight like this on their own, think of me as your personal battle buddy and join the foob army today!
My Goals
Not every day is going to be a good day and guess what? That’s ok! If there are no ups and downs in your life, it means you’ve flatlined.
A cancer diagnosis completely changes your mindset. Understanding that you’re no longer exercising to fit into those “skinny” jeans, or that cute new bikini, is a difficult way of thinking to reverse.
You are now staying active, just to stay alive.
With the ever growing number of studies showing a positive effect on reducing the risk of getting cancer, reducing the side effects caused by cancer treatment, and reducing the risk of reoccurrence , I want to cause a tidal wave of change within our healthcare system.
There may not always be a sure fire way to avoid receiving a cancer diagnosis (due to genetics, environment, etc..), but there are lots of options out there for us to help ourselves in a positive way.
