“My oncologist said, ‘Don’t stay in bed’, so that’s when I decided to never stop walking!”
Today we want to share with you the story of one of our patients, Stacy Steiner. Our hope is that by hearing her story, you will be inspired to embrace a healthy lifestyle, even in the midst of adversity!
Stacy grew up in the small town of Orrville, Ohio, where she played softball and bowled. From here, she attended the University of Dayton and majored in Accounting. Currently, Stacy is 42 years old. She has been married for 15 years and is mother to two step and two biological children.
When Stacy turned 40, she scheduled her first mammogram. She didn’t think much of it at the time, only that it was what she thought she was expected to do, now that she was of age.
That initial mammogram turned into a second look…Which turned into an ultrasound…followed by a biopsy…followed by a cancer diagnosis…on her daughter’s birthday.
Cancer can be so cruel, can’t it?!
At her first appointment she was told she would need a lumpectomy with lymphnode removal. From here, Stacy underwent chemotherapy and radiation.
Stacy recalls that one of the first things her oncology recommended to her said was NOT to stay in bed and let herself get depressed.
This was the moment that Stacy decided to never stop walking!
Stacy credits prayer, laughter, reading, and drinking lots of water with helping her tolerate her chemotherapy better than she had anticipated. However, because of the steroids and changes to her appetite, Stacy gained some weight during her treatment. This was when her doctors told her about Maple Tree. She gave us a call in February of 2018, with the hopes that we would help her lose weight, develop healthier habits, and establish a workout routine.
Now, two years later, Stacy tells us, “I LOVE Maple Tree! I love having someone dedicated to deciding what workout I should be doing! I love the weekly conversations with Matt (he allows me to vent but then we talk about all kinds of different things, very enjoyable!). Maple Tree has helped me lose weight, it helps keep all the side effects of tamoxifen very minimal, and I know it also helps to relieve work stress!”
Stacy is living proof that Exercise is Medicine. In fact, one thing that Stacy told us she loves about Maple Tree is that she can bring her kids to her workout sessions. She believes in the importance of teaching them that exercise can help manage all kinds of diseases!
We couldn’t agree more – exercise can and should be a family affair! Even with a busy life, health must be prioritized. This has helped Stacy see such tremendous improvements! Since beginning at Maple Tree, Stacy has 16 pounds, increased her cardiovascular fitness by 39.41%, increased her muscular endurance by 194.12%, and increased her flexibility by 14.71%. She has also reduced her risk for lymphedema and no longer needs to wear a compression sleeve.
Thank you Stacy for letting us share your story! We are so proud of your hard work. You are an inspiration to us all.