Being in the best shape of my life before cancer and the leanest I had been in years was the result of a good coach, Jason, and my discipline and determination to be healthy, lean and strong.

Getting hit with a breast cancer diagnosis was not only shocking but devastating. There has been blessings in this journey. I felt like I was punched between the eyes and told to stop. The focus now was taking care of me in a different way. I thought I was committed to self-care. After diagnoses, I realized that I was doing the bare minimum. I have friends, family and coworkers doing the same thing. The life lesson was to learn what exactly was self-care and what/who is truly important in life. I have amazing family and friends and have met wonderful people, doctors, psychologists, physiotherapists, kinesiologists, social workers, oncologists, friends, cancer survivors and their families during this journey. All who have taught me something important about myself and life. Thank you! 😊❤️❤️

Recovery from cancer treatments has been quite the journey. Filled with self-blame for how I feel, my lack of energy, my inability to do what I did before cancer, weight gain and other things was due to factors that I thought I could control.

For months, I struggled with my body hurting and feeling drained yet I looked healthy, focused on being grateful for life, family, friends, and kept smiling. People complimented me and some wondered why I wasn’t back to work yet. Many cancer survivors understand the struggle and some go back to work prematurely only to be sick again or diagnosed with a recurrence. Treatment impacts everyone differently.

I experience brain fog, intense fatigue, neuropathy, joint and bone pain, muscle spasms and other side effects. When I take walks, do activities and attend events, I feel happy but there is the cost of increased fatigue. Rest doesn’t help. I pushed myself harder to only feel exhausted for a few days. I didn’t understand why.

In November 2025, I attended Cancer Fatigue Services and completed a medical assessment. I now have a collaborative care plan. Part of this was understanding why I feel the way I do and why the struggle with my energy.

Cancer treatments work by damaging the DNA or growth signals of rapidly dividing cells to stop them from multiplying. During recovery, the body shifts from fighting the disease to regenerating healthy cells and repairing the DNA damage caused by treatment. At a cellular level, recovery means your body is finally redirecting its energy from fighting off the disease and treatment to regenerating healthy cells and repairing tissue damage.

How This Affects Daily Life

• Physical Fluctuations: You may feel a mix of progress and setbacks as your stem cells work to rebuild tissues and your immune system gradually reboots.
• Persistent Fatigue: Even after treatment ends, many survivors experience a deep, long-lasting exhaustion that isn’t always fixed by sleep, as the body’s “powerhouse” mitochondria are still recovering.
• Emotional “Roller Coaster”: It is common to feel a range of mixed emotions, such as relief that treatment is over combined with anxiety or fear about the cancer returning.
• Adjusting to a “New Normal”: Recovery often involves adapting to permanent changes, such as scars, altered energy levels, or “chemo brain,” which requires finding a new baseline for what feels normal for you.

For example, I couldn’t understand why I showered and brushed my teeth and didn’t have the energy to get dressed right away. I sat down to rest. I was thinking what the %$$# is wrong with me. After this assessment, my anaerobic threshold was extremely poor. My body was only producing enough energy for basic survival, even a simple task such as showering required 100% of my available cellular fuel, leaving me completely exhausted. When I met with the oncologist and he explained to me how treatment impacted me, I cried and said so it isn’t my fault I didn’t keep my fitness up and let myself go yet I was doing fitness and eating nutritious foods (still had treats).

I returned for a follow up assessment with CFS for the police community not Centre of Forensic Sciences. 🤣 I had a small improvement in the anaerobic threshold which is promising. To compare the activities, doing laundry would utilize this level of energy. I take many breaks and push myself to improve.

This program along with Cancer PEP – Patient Empowerment Program, Wellspring, Sudbury Hyperbaric and Wound Care and Health Sciences North – NEOCC and my doctors have been impactful in my healing and recovery. I am grateful for this support. Now instead of taking care of the community, I am using the community supports available to me to heal.

Yes, CTV didn’t spell my name correctly and assumed that I worked locally.

— – Written by: Angela