Each month we choose a patient who we feel represents the mission of Inspire Exercise Medicine. A person who exemplifies hard work and dedication to our program. Alicen Schoolmeester is our nominee for September ’24. 

“I am Alicen Schoolmeester. I am honored to be the spotlight person for the month of September 2024. I truly believe Inspire Exercise Medicine (IEM) has helped me instrumentally in my recovery of my cancer journey. When I first discovered that I had cancer my treatment plan was to go through Inspire Oncology for radiation and simultaneously do chemotherapy for six weeks and then Brachytherapy. It was during this time I started Inspire Exercise Medicine through Dr. Nakfoor at Inspire Oncology.

I was one of the first to be incorporated in this study program of how exercise enhances the curability rate and the recovery rate of side effects of cancer treatments, which do work. Unbeknownst to all, my cancer did jump and caused 2 tumors to appear at which point I had to go through very intense treatments and there these treatments caused an insurmountable amount of weakness and total hair loss. 

However, I would manage the strength to walk into Inspire Exercise Medicine just to say “Hello.” They all knew my name, they knew what I was going through, and I continued to tell them, “I will be back.” 

After six months of intense treatment, I asked if I could go back to IEM and I was granted that privilege. Thank you Dr. Nakfoor and Rhonda Lang. I had another intake assessment done and I was not in good shape at all.

 I started in the Fundamental basic exercise class, gained my confidence and some strength and much needed balance through the performance coaches. 

Then I graduated to the Dynamics intermediate class and through the constant positive attitudes of believing in me which in turn allowed me to believe in myself that I could just do one more or go up one more pound was the inspire that I needed to then graduate to the Inspire Up class of which I am in now. My next goal is the Masters class.

The positive affirmations that I get on a continuum has greatly influenced my mindset, and the muscle mass I have gained, the confidence to trust my balance of which we are still working on. This program has helped my scans to be cancer free. 

Although I am still getting treatments to keep the cancer at bay, I know walking through the doors to gain the strength and the balance that I require in order to return back to the life that I had to step out of because of this horrible disease.

The IEM atmosphere is superior! The staff is very professional and become part of your family. I look forward to encountering their positive attitudes and their consistent encouragement and the fact that they know my name every time I walk through the door is a blessing. I don’t take that for granted, for if it was not for this program and the ingenious mindset to create such a program for cancer warriors to come together in one place with the common bond of getting healthy and to live the best lives that each individual can live is priceless! 

I do not take for granted that I am in this program. I feel it is a great honor to be able to go to IEM. It is an honor that I am in or part of or partake in these case studies of cancer survivors and how important exercise is and maintaining good nutritional eating habits take keep cancer away forever.

So, in a capsule I was here in the beginning of IEM gained my strength, got knocked down a bit, went through another round of treatments only to come back stronger and better through Inspire Exercise Medicine and for that I am eternally grateful.”