JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The YMCA launched a program aimed at helping adults take their life back after receiving a cancer diagnosis.
The program is called “Livestrong” and is now available at several locations across Northeast Florida.
Three years ago, Dawn Wessling received life-altering news.
“I was diagnosed in November 2021 with breast cancer. Just the day before Thanksgiving,” Wessling said.
Immediately, Wessling questioned if she could beat cancer.
“I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer which is terrifying,” Wessling said.
She beat it about a year and a half later.
“I’ve been in remission for 20 months and I’ll be on medication for the rest of my life, probably. At least for the next 10 years,” Wessling said.
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Things were looking up, but Wessling felt like she had lost ownership of her life. So, she started searching for a way to reclaim that after a friend told her about the YMCA’s Livestrong program.
“When I saw this, I thought that is 100% what I need. I need to be in something that recognizes what I’ve experienced, and a program where they’re going to know what it’s like and importantly, they connected me with other people that are also survivors,” Wessling said.
Wessling said that newfound sense of community changed her life.
“It made me feel like I could survive, and this is normal. This is my new normal,” Wessling said.
According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 2 women and 1 in 3 men will develop cancer in their lifetime.
Cancer can impact the body’s overall mobility — causing limb weakness, fatigue, and even difficulty walking depending on the diagnosis.
The YMCA’s 12-week Livestrong program offers fitness classes with small support groups, to help survivors get in shape physically, emotionally, and mentally.
No membership is required to join, and family members are allowed.
“I go twice a week for my classes, but I go to a really great yoga class on Mondays and tai chi directly after that,” Wessling said. “My husband is also getting control of his health, after taking care of me for the last couple of years.”
To learn more about the YMCA’s Livestrong program, visit this website.