13thirty Fit!
Rochester Program – AYAs – Continue our 8-week fitness program and getting strong together!
Noodle Night
Syracuse Program – AYAs and Parents – Make your own healthy bowl of ramen noodle soup with fresh ingredients. All food provided, just bring an appetite! Cooking instruction will be led by Dr. Kaushal Nanavati from Upstate University Hospital.
13thirty Fit!
Rochester Program – AYAs
Continue our 8-week fitness program and getting strong together!
13thirty Fit!
Rochester Program – AYAs – Continue our 8-week fitness program and getting strong together!
I Lived
“I lived” – Inspirational
Leanna Ramirez was diagnosed with a rare and incurable brain cancer at fifteen years old. She went through four chemotherapy rounds, 33 radiation therapy rounds, and two surgeries. Unfortunately, not all of the brain tumor could be removed. Even through side effects like headaches and memory and hearing loss, Leanna found her way to hope and positivity.
Her mother heard the song, “I Lived,” by OneRepublic, and turned its message into their family’s inspiration to live each day to its fullest. She encouraged Leanna to make an “I Lived” list of all the things she wants to do in her life, no matter how grand, not worrying about time. Through the help of a GoFundMe page, the family has gone on a helicopter tour of Hawaii, zip-lined in the Poconos, and played with koalas at the Columbus zoo. They were even able to take Leanna’s dream trip to New York City. The trip included ice skating at Rockefeller Center, taking a carriage ride in Central Park, and watching the ball drop on New Year’s Eve from Time Square.
Leanna’s “I Lived” list has inspired both her and her family to live for today. They try to focus on how to enjoy each moment you do have instead of worrying about the ones you might not get. Now at eighteen years old, Leanna and her family are helping other kids with cancer write their own “I Lived” lists. Read more about the story on MSN here.
Take Action:
What would your “I Lived” list include?
Do you want to travel? Take a college course? Attend a game for your favorite team? Maybe you want to learn a new skill?
What are you proud of that you’ve already done?
Do you volunteer in your community or with your school? Have you been part of a club? Did you made something for someone else? Are you a good friend to someone? Consider including the things that you’re proud of if continuing to do them makes you happy.
Write Your “I Lived” List Today
AYA Cancer gives people a unique perspective on life. Whether you’ve had cancer or someone you know has been affected by cancer, an “I Lived” list can inspire you to live in the moment. Comment on this post to let us know some of the items you included on your “I Lived” list.
13thirty Fit!
Program of the Month
13thirty Fit!
Every Wednesday for the last four weeks, parents of our teens and young adults have met at our Syracuse center for 13thirty Fit!, an eight-week program designed to help develop healthy workout habits easy enough to do at home without expensive equipment or gym fees. The program, led by our oncology-certified fitness coach, Michelle Dougan, from Elevate Fitness, includes personal goal setting and an hour-long workout each week. Everyone’s favorite songs from the 80’s keep us moving!
On our third week, we shook things up in Syracuse and invited parents to bring their kids to the program that night. Partner workouts proved to be just as challenging and even more fun than our usual workout routines. A little friendly competition between our parents and kids made us try even harder! Like all 13thirty Cancer Connect programs, peer support is an important element of our fitness programs. Working out with someone can motivate you to work out more often and stay accountable to your goals.
13thirty Fit! History
13thirty Fit! has been offered at our Rochester center to AYA members and parents since 2012 when it was first designed as part of a research study at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. The goal was simple and still the same: help AYAs regain their former level of fitness and self-confidence in a safe, judgement-free environment. In both Rochester and Syracuse, 13thirty Fit! is held in our warm, comfortable center with friends who understand what it’s like and fitness coaches who can modify exercises to accommodate individual needs.
Assessment data collected from participants before and after each program consistently point to improved functional fitness and enhanced self-efficacy. Periodic “Quick Fit” sessions held throughout the year supplement the eight-week program and help remind members to keep working on their fitness goals.
Work out with us again!
Remember, the Syracuse fitness room is available for individual workouts during regular office hours for both AYAs and parents! Just bring your signed medical release form and call Megan ahead of time at (315) 883-1862. Here’s how to find us! Find out what else is going on in Syracuse here.
Interested in 13thirty Fit! – Rochester? Contact Rochester Program Director, Steve Esposito, for more information at 595-563-6221 or visit us!