Staying active is so important for
the health and well-being of survivors in any stage of treatment. In
partnership with BREC and The Red Shoes, our three exercise classes: Fit and
Fearless, Yoga and Zumba Gold, meet multiple times a week. But as important as the
physical benefits, these classes have become emotionally valuable for the
participants. Instructor
Laura LeBlanc designed Fit and Fearless, our original
aerobic exercise program, specifically for those living with, through
and beyond cancer. The class celebrated 5 years in September 2012 and many of
the charter members still attend every week. “We think of ourselves as
a gift to each other,” says participant Gloria Graham, “We can talk about
anything here.” Carolyn Cavalier,
another longtime Fit and Fearless devotee, agrees, “Besides great exercise,
it’s been a wonderful opportunity to share stories, offer support and draw
strength from others.”
Donna Hincks, a cancer survivor herself,
teaches Zumba Gold once a week, giving attendees an opportunity to have a fun
and unique workout. They dance to Latin songs wearing coin skirts that add jingle
to every movement. For an hour every Thursday morning, they laugh and enjoy
themselves, all while getting fitter and improving their life with every twist,
shake and shimmy.
The Yoga class also has a
strong and dedicated following. The routine of the class is gentler than
others and the survivors do not feel any pressure to perform any moves that
make them feel uncomfortable. One survivor even
described the class as a family saying, “When someone’s missing we miss them.” Each
yoga class ends with "Namaste," which translates to "I bow to
you." These survivors bow to each other, a movement full of meaning in their
shared experience. Cancer Services bows to all our clients as we do all we can
to improve life during their cancer journey. Like all our programs and
services, exercise classes are free of charge for those living with cancer in
the Greater Baton Rouge area. Call Cancer Services at 225-927-2273 for more
information or to register. A written doctor’s permission is required.
If you can’t make the classes, the Cancer Services
Library/Resource Center loans DVDs of Fit and Fearless classes and these 3
different discs are also available for purchase at $15 each – proceeds benefit
Cancer Services.
