Pauline
22 June 2017
Pauline started exercising with Up and Active when she moved to Pendle. She wanted to make sure she kept her heart healthy having had a heart attack and stents fitted. However, she's also found that keeping fit has helped her recover from cancer and achieve a lot more. She has written about her exeperience:
My heart attack was seven years ago followed by three stents and a further four stents two years ago. There is no family history or lifestyle choices to blame. Last September, I was diagnosed with early bowel cancer and had successful surgery and no need for chemo. This was a major result for me as my mother died of breast cancer and my brother has survived bowel cancer with lengthy chemo.
I have been doing cardiac rehabilitation since the first event and since moving to Pendle three years ago, I have been working with Emma. Her constant support and encouragement have helped me change my attitude to exercise and to feel confident enough to use the gym and even extended to me starting to jog on the treadmill. I went one step further and have been jogging everyday, albeit slowly and can comfortably manage one mile a day .
My finest achievement was taking part in The British Heart Foundation 'A Marathon in a month 'and have completed 26.2 miles in 30 days. I set myself a goal of raising £75 and today I have raised £156.50 with online donations and work colleagues having given me £60.00.
I feel better and have lost some weight and certainly changed shape with a dress size drop as a bonus.
I am just back from two weeks in sunny Majorica (cancelled last September). I feel brilliant and for the first time in a while I feel like ME again.