Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Cancer affects not only the body, but the mind and spirit as well. It also affects the family of the person battling the disease.
Livestrong at the Kosciusko Community YMCA for the past decade has helped hundreds of local residents rebuild strength, confidence and quality of life during, through and beyond their cancer treatment. Monday, in the lobby of the Parkview Warsaw YMCA, an open house celebrated Livestrong’s first 10 years.
Susan Potter, chronic disease prevention coordinator, has been the Livestrong coordinator for nine of its 10 years. She said the program got started because “they just really wanted to help cancer survivors on a local level.”
Stacy Thomas spearheaded the implementation of the program as her husband was a cancer survivor, Potter said.
“When you go through cancer, you go through treatment and a lot of times, (you’re) like, ‘What’s next?’ because your body has changed so much,” Potter stated. “A lot of times people lose a lot of muscle mass, they lose a lot of their strength, they lose a lot of cardio, they’re super fatigued.”
After treatment, the doctors have cleared the patient but then sometimes there’s nothing else offered.
“We step in and are able to help people regain their strengths. We meet them where they’re at physically and are able to help them regain that strength, balance, flexibility and cardiovascular health,” Potter said.
She said the program is for people going through treatment and afterward.
“The only requirements to be in Livestrong: cancer diagnosis at any time in your life, so even if it’s been 25 years you still qualify; you need a medical clearance signed by a doctor, just saying yes you can exercise or yes you can exercise but with these restrictions; and then you have to be 18,” Potter explained. “But, yeah, it’s going through or beyond cancer. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.”
So far 411 cancer survivors have gone through the program. Livestrong started its 65th class last week, and has provided 2,304 hours of support and training. Over the past 10 years, Livestrong has had 26 coaches and eight chaplains.
“We have an amazing staff that just really has a heart for helping people that are going through cancer,” Potter stated.
On the 65 classes, she explained, “Here at the Y, we believe body, mind and spirit is all connected. So the physical body is definitely the focus, but being in a group like Livestrong with people who have gone through cancer is huge because you get emotional support from people who understand what it’s like, because even if you have a wonderful support system, if they’ve never had cancer, they don’t really understand what you’re going through, so it’s just a very unique incredible opportunity really for people to be with people who can show true empathy because they understand.”
For the spiritual aspect of the program, a pastor from the community is assigned to a class. Some pastors volunteer and they’re a resource for anyone who doesn’t have a spiritual counselor in their life.
“It’s just something that we like to provide because here at the Y we believe that you’re a holistic person - body, mind and spirit - so we really like to address all three of those in our Livestrong class,” Potter said.
Not to leave family members out, participation in Livestrong includes a free one-year family membership to the YMCA.
“So, although they can’t be in the class with them, they do receive a free year membership. That’s made possible through the K21 (Health) Foundation Cancer Care Fund and our Y also helps cover the cost of a family membership,” Potter said. “And then we also have something called Celebrating Survivorship, which is kind of like a lunch and learn support group, and family members are invited to that.”
Celebrating Survivorship meets monthly on the second Monday of every month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and the fourth Mondays of the month from 6 to 7 p.m. Different speakers, like doctors, are brought in to talk about the body, mind and spirit. There’s also crafts and meals.
“That is a way that we can support the family members as well, and by also giving them a membership,” Potter said.
Monday’s 10-year celebration of Livestrong took place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.
“We just really want to celebrate with our community. Celebrate what the K21 Foundation has allowed us to be able to do. We sent out invitations to all the people - all 411 people - that have gone through it,” Potter said.
In the first 1-1/2 hours of the open house, a number of those 411 had already came back.
“It’s good just to reconnect with them. So today is just a celebration and, like I said, through K21 we’re able to hopefully also get the name out more because a lot of people don’t know we’re here, that we’re here to help cancer survivors ... because our heart is we just want to help people, and if they don’t know about it, then we can’t. So today’s a celebration,” Potter said, mentioning the food, shirts and bracelets they were handing out.
To learn more about Livestrong at the YMCA, contact Potter at SPotter@KCYMCA.org, stop into the Y or call 574-269-9622, ext. 225.
“They’ll get connected to me, and the next process is finding a class that fits into their schedule. We have six classes a year, they’re 12 weeks long. I will set up an intake appointment with them where I tell them more about the class. I go over a health intake form, answer any questions and then we get them into a class,” Potter said.
She stated Livestrong really does change people’s lives.
“People are often in a very hard spot in their life, so the community that they gain from it is amazing. A lot of them will maintain these lifelong friendships with people,” Potter said.
They also have Staystrong, which is a weekly class just for those who have gone through Livestrong.
“So even if their membership expires, they’re allowed to come to this class. It’s on Tuesdays at 10:30, and that’s its own community and they’re there to support each other and exercise together. So it’s not ‘see you later’ after 12 weeks. We offer opportunities to engage them, with the Celebrating Survivorship and the Staystrong,” Potter said.
