The Power of Staying Active

In 2003, I had been a personal trainer for the Multnomah Athletic Club for six years, training individuals focusing on continued rehabilitation from orthopedic injuries, cardiovascular disease, balance and gait improvement, and conditioning for competitive athletics. I also taught nutrition and weight management. Then my grandfather Leonard was diagnosed with lung cancer. It forever changed my life.

When I witnessed firsthand the rapid decline in my grandpa’s physical and mental strength due to the cancer treatments, I knew my focus had to change. Recognizing the enormous impact that staying active could have on cancer patients, and the importance of fitness as a rehabilitation tool, I became passionate about working with cancer survivors. My mission: to empower, inspire, and improve the lives of people living with cancer. I didn’t want to see anyone else go through the suffering and pain my grandfather and my family endured due to his cancer and treatments.

So I continued my education at University of Northern Colorado Rocky Mountain Cancer Rehabilitation Center, focusing on individuals with cancer, completed a mentorship with the well-fit cancer program in Santa Barbara, and returned to Portland to work side-by-side with Rosemary McDermott, an oncology nurse for over 3 decades.

With my added knowledge, experience, and inspiration I created the Inpower Program in 2005. I take great personal joy in working with Inpower participants. Here’s what some people have to say about the program.