“A Walk to Remember…”
August 19, 2019 is a day and a phone call from my mom that I will never forget! It was a few days before my kids were starting school and we were holding onto what we had left of summer by enjoying Manteno’s splash pad one last time. My phone rang and I answered to a shaky, teary mom on the other end. My stomach dropped and I instantly knew it wasn’t good. The words “breast cancer" are the only words I heard. I was devastated! We were all devastated!
In the months following, I walked beside my mom and family through her breast cancer journey. Nothing about breast cancer or any cancer is easy. The emotions are draining, the appointments are draining, and trying to explain it to my kids was draining. It was one of the hardest seasons in my life! Thankfully, I had hope and knew that my mom and our family were going to be ok! I had immense hope and peace during this time because of my faith in the Lord. Our faith is bigger than any diagnosis. I knew for sure that the Lord would walk us through this trial and after a few surgeries and many weeks of radiation my mom was cancer free!
I will never forget sitting with her and her oncologist in Michigan for her last appointment and hearing those words," you beat it and you are cancer free!" It was a moment to rejoice that's for sure. We sat there rejoicing, but continued to listen to the oncologist give my mom a multitude of suggestions; you need to eat healthier, you need to exercise, and the list went on and on. There were great suggestions, yet no resources. There were no pamphlets, no health coach, and no personal trainer recommendations. We sat there and my mom looked lost!
Thankfully, this is what I do! This is where I get my drive, passion and motivation to do what I do! I want to help bridge the gap between a diagnosis and becoming healthier! I want to help motivate change in habits, diet, exercise and lifestyle!
Why am I telling you this story? This is our story, this is my moms story and I know there are MANY, in fact too many others, that can relate to this story. This story is 'my why'. This story is why I am motivated to do what I do. This is why I have a deep passion to help others become the best version of themselves. Being a health coach and personal trainer doesn’t come easy. Helping people with immense change in their lives can heed much resistance. Walking my mom through her cancer journey was one of the hardest seasons in my life, but also one of the most rewarding! It drove me to love what I do even more;to help others on their health journey, meet them where they are at and help them change and grow into a healthier version of themselves.
This story, my mom’s story, is what inspired my October, 'A walk to remember' challenge.
