Getting Started, January 10
Daily Reflections from Inside the Cancer Journey
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Written by Karen Wonders
“Behold, I am doing a new thing” (Isaiah 43:18 NIV).
Bob Kellermann was a great man. He was the loving husband to Yolonda Kellerman for more than sixty years. He was the proud father of four beautiful daughters. And he was my grandfather. Which doesn’t make me biased at all. Because everyone who knew him, loved him.
Bob was active throughout much of his life. After serving in World War II, he worked as a bricklayer for many years. In his retirement, he and Yolonda spent several days a week exercising at the local fitness center. He was also an avid golfer and loved taking his German Shepherd for walks around his neighborhood. In fact, the name of the organization I founded, “Maple Tree Cancer Alliance,” stems from the maple trees that lined those streets he would walk on each day.
In 2007, Bob was diagnosed with an aggressive form of colon cancer. It caught our entire family off guard because we always looked at him as being so active and strong. We watched helplessly as strength quickly began to fade.
Early on after his diagnosis, he told me that the most difficult side effect he was experiencing was fatigue. He described it as a whole-body exhaustion, an “all-I-can-do-is-lay-down-and-take-a-nap” type of tiredness.
So, what do you do when you are this tired? Most people would do just that—take a nap. No one would fault them for that. Yet, several recent studies show that the most effective antidote to fatigue is actually the last thing someone wants to do: exercise.
I’m not talking about sweat-dripping, heavy-breathing, cramp-inducing exercise. I’m talking more about a walk around the block. Or maybe even just to your mailbox. Or a walk around the downstairs of your house. This is exactly what Bob did. Every hour on the hour, he would get up and walk one lap around his house. Then he would go back to bed. But that one lap did wonders for his outlook. It gave him something to look forward to. When he finished, it gave him a sense of accomplishment. It boosted his energy levels, which in turn boosted his mood. It was one positive step he could make in his recovery. Bob didn’t have any control over the fact that he got cancer. But he could control this!
The Bible has a lot to say on the subject of physical fitness. Our bodies are gifts from God, and they are incredibly designed (see Psalm 139:13-15). As believers, we know that our bodies serve as the temple of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Physical training is recognized as good (see 1 Timothy 4:8).
Yet, one of the most difficult things to do when you are sick is to begin an exercise program.
But what if you did?
Let God help you. Start from right where you are. If all you are able to do is walk around the downstairs of your house, then start with that. Try it and see what happens.
The hardest part is getting started.
Pray: Father God, thank You for our bodies. They have been so incredibly designed by You. Every single detail is so lovingly created. Help us to glorify You with our bodies. Father, it is so hard to exercise when we don’t feel well. May You be our source of strength. Help us to run this race with all that we have. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Your Turn: List three obstacles you see in your life right now that are preventing you from embracing a more active lifestyle. Pray and ask God to help you see them from a new perspective, and to see where you can begin a small change. Then, take one step towards better health!
Karen Y. Wonders, PhD, FACSM, Cancer Caregiver
Karen is the Founder and CEO of Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, and Professor/Program Director of Exercise Physiology at Wright State University. Her passion is to advocate for exercise as part of the national standard of care for cancer. Her non-profit organization provides free exercise training to thousands of cancer survivors every month (www.mapletreecanceralliance.org). Dr. Wonders and her husband have 7 children—aged 16 and younger. If you think her hands are full, you should see her heart!
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