History

"You have cancer" is a sentence no one wants to hear. But statistics show that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 2 men will hear those three words in their lifetime. In June of 2000, I became a statistic. I was two weeks shy of my 36th birthday and had just been diagnosed with uterine cancer. And so my journey as a cancer survivor began. And my world changed forever.

I now stand beside 5 other members of my own family - all cancer survivors, all diagnosed within a 5 year span. Witnessing the effects of the various cancer treatments my family experienced opened my eyes to the special challenges we as survivors face "post-cancer". The seeds for the Triumph Fitness Program were planted by my observations.

Shortly after my own diagnosis and subsequent treatment in July 2000, my brother gave me Lance Armstrong's book "It's Not about the Bike". We all know Lance's story. His book was where I first learned about the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) and decided to get involved. What I particularly liked about the LAF was its focus on cancer survivorship issues, and not just research. And the fact that it was not dedicated to just one type of cancer - its mission is to enhance the quality of life for all cancer survivors living with, through and beyond cancer. I began raising money and awareness for the LAF in 2002 after reassembling my life's puzzle pieces in a new way. Since 2003, I have been a top fundraiser and have received a special invitation to attend the Ride for the Roses weekend down in Austin Texas with Lance Armstrong. It is an amazing weekend full of hope and support.

In October of 2004, I was recognized for my outreach efforts by the LAF, receiving the Lori Tilton Memorial Peloton Project Triumph Award. This award is given to one individual each year on the fundraising project who exemplifies the spirit of the LAF through their own efforts to raise awareness. It was an incredible honor, one of those "Top 5" lifetime moments I will always treasure. Lance presented the award to me - a $5,000 check from the LAF to fund a cancer survivorship program in my own community. The Sacramento Triumph Fitness Program came into being thanks to this initial seed money from the LAF.

It took a year of hard work to bring the Triumph Fitness Program to life in Sacramento. I teamed up with the UC Davis Cancer Center who took on the role of administrator, and together we selected a local fitness center Savvy Fitness to house the program. We were very particular about the environment of the fitness facility being keenly aware that many of our participants might be intimidated by a large facility. Savvy Fitness Center's professional yet nurturing environment was a perfect match for our criteria. Exactly one year after I received my Triumph Award, we launched our first program in Sacramento.

In July of 2006, I was interviewed for a program in Modesto called "The Cancer Report" produced by Memorial Medical Center, a Sutter Health Affiliate. They had learned about the Triumph Fitness Program through the LAF. After talking with me and some of the participants of the program, they asked about the possibility of expanding our program to Modesto. My long term goal is to make this program available to as many survivors around the country as possible, so after an enthusiastic "Yes!" we set to work creating a similar program in Modesto. In March of 2007, we launched Triumph's sister program with the Hill Center for Integrative Medicine taking the lead as the fitness facility. In addition to the 10-week program, Modesto is also offering a continuation program in the form of walking and cycling clubs. Memorial Medical Center's spin-off program is such a great example of the "pay it forward" attitude I have experienced since becoming a cancer survivor. I am extremely proud to be helping other survivors in two communities through the Triumph Fitness Program.

Today, I continue to live strong. As an architect, I strive to design homes that inspire our clients and are sensitive to the environment. As a cancer survivor, my goal is to inspire other survivors and to make the cancer journey a bit easier through the Triumph Fitness Program.

The Future...

Our observations after the first few years of the Triumph Fitness Program have exposed the need for expanded services. The fitness program currently addresses the issues of stamina and strength lost during cancer treatment. My next goal, when funding permits, is to introduce a nutritional component. Triumph participants seem to either be faced with significant weight gain or weight loss depending upon their treatment. I hope to develop informational classes coupled with individual consultations with a nutritionist to assist participants in creating a healthy diet. These two components of exercise and diet will create a cohesive program for participants.

In addition, we hope to introduce walking clubs and cycling clubs with volunteer coaches to enable our "Triumph Alumni" to continue their fitness regimen in a less structured environment in the Sacramento area. In the meantime, we have created "Team Triumph", a group of cycling enthusiasts, runners and walkers who join together to participate at organized events while raising awareness for the Triumph Fitness Program.

While I know that my Triumph Team has the capacity to create such a well-rounded program, our biggest hurdle is the financial aspect. And so my entreaty for donations beginskindly click on my "Donations" page for how you can assist the Triumph Team in our quest to help cancer survivors take back their lives...