What Exercising During Breast Cancer Treatment Taught Me About Inner Strength

Moving my body in any way I can has been essential for my physical and mental health throughout treatment.

In a way, exercise kicked off my cancer journey. It was August 2020, and I was doing workouts at home because gyms were closed due to the pandemic. I’d done a ton of pushups, and in the days that followed, I experienced shooting pain between my left arm and nipple. After I did a self-exam and found a lump, my heart sank.

Although it’s been a rollercoaster since then, I appreciate that the pain led me to call my doctor when I did. I know how much post-workout soreness is typical for me — so when I wasn’t recovering at the usual pace, I knew something was wrong.

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Diagnosis through treatment

Breast health and screening were not new to me. My mom had received a breast cancer diagnosis at age 43 and went through all modalities of treatment.

I had been part of a high risk screening program for 10 years prior to my diagnosis at age 39, but I was denied genetic testing because there wasn’t enough cancer in my family at that time.

Knowing there are always options and being an advocate for myself, I purchased a 23andMe genetic testing kit for peace of mind. The results, which didn’t reveal any gene mutations, gave me a false sense of security. Even so, as soon as I felt the lump, I emailed my doctor instead of waiting. He responded within 90 minutes, told me to go to the hospital immediately, and attached a referral.

Within 24 hours, I’d gotten a mammogram, an ultrasound, and four biopsies. I was diagnosed 2 days later with stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma.

I had four tumors in my left breast that all had different markers. Genetic testing was done on the spot and later revealed that I carry the BRCA2 gene mutation. After 7 days of in vitro fertilization to harvest some of my eggs before treatment, I completed 8 rounds of ACT chemotherapy, including four rounds of the infamous “red devil.”

Four weeks later, I had a bilateral mastectomy with delayed reconstruction. Although I had tissue expanders placed at the time of surgery, an infection 10 days later meant I needed emergency surgery to remove them.

I completed 15 rounds of radiation, then 6 months of an oral chemotherapy drug called capecitabine. I also opted to have my ovaries removed to reduce any risk of ovarian cancer.

Preparing myself mentally for all of this was extremely challenging, but fortunately, I didn’t have to do it alone, and we took it one day and one step at a time. I looked at this no differently than I do with my profession as a project director, mobilizing cross-functional teams to work together with a shared purpose.

What I put into place between diagnosis, treatment, and surgery ended up making a huge difference in my recovery and has become my most important project.

From plan to progress

As soon as I knew I’d have to undergo treatment and surgery, I consulted with my wellness team at Omega Health and Fitness.

It’s not just a place where I work out; it’s a medically supervised personal training facility that also offers clinical services such as physiotherapy, chiropractic care, naturopathic medicine, and massage therapy to further support clients for all physical needs.

Owners Ty and Thien brought their team together to draft a plan that would take me all the way through treatment and beyond.

We knew that my fitness level would change and decided to focus on small steps to keep me moving and keep my mind at ease. That meant anything from yoga and breathing exercises to gentle body weight movements when I was able.

The mind-body connection was incredible for helping me process the emotional part of this and helped me through treatments as well. For example, I found that I can undergo a brain MRI with limited anxiety or medication if I practice meditation before and during the scan.

Restorative yoga got me through the tightness that I experienced in my arms, neck, and chest after surgery, as well as the fatigue during radiation.

Sometimes, I would just make myself move, like getting up and doing 10 squats, using a resistance band, or lifting light weights from the couch. I walked around the block or rode my Peloton bike when I could, lowering the typically high expectations I set for myself and just focusing on moving.

Getting back up to speed

I did 6 months of weekly occupational and physiotherapy to get my mobility back and reduce the effects of cording following surgery. Even just being able to wash my hair by myself was a victory. I work with a lymphedema massage therapist twice a month to stay on top of swelling after having 12 lymph nodes removed from my underarm.

During oral chemo, I experienced hand-foot syndrome, where the hands and bottoms of your feet peel so badly that it’s difficult to even walk. I modified my exercise plans when and where necessary.

Eventually, I was able to do more and more each day. I ramped up at the gym and have personal trainers who have been able to tailor workouts for me at every stage of my level of fitness.

I have also enlisted the support of a naturopathic doctor who has been able to get my post-cancer treatment and early menopausal body back on track, which has made a big difference.

I bought a mini-trampoline for home and jump every day, in part because it’s very supportive for your lymphatic system, but also because it brings me joy to turn on my favorite music and just jump.

Moving my body is how I start each day and is now an integral part of improving both my physical and mental health.

It’s not lost on me that becoming a survivor is a privilege. I’ve met a lot of amazing people on this journey that are no longer with us, and in their honor and for myself, I’m determined not to waste this opportunity to continue to move. I encourage you to do the same.