INTEGRIS SURVIVOR FIT PROGRAM AIDED JARRELL IN RECOVERY FROM BREAST CANCER
The Oklahoma City Dodgers and INTEGRIS Health proudly continued the 2015 “Home Run for Life” series Saturday, July 18th during the Dodgers’ home game against the Round Rock Express at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpa rk. The Dodgers and INTEGRIS recognized Stephanie Jarrell, who benefitted greatly from the INTEGRIS Survivor Fit Program at INTEGRIS Pacer Fitness Center during and following her battle with breast cancer.
“Home Run For Life” recognizes people in the Oklahoma City area who, with the help of their families, physicians and health care professionals, have overcome a significant medical event. Honorees are recognized during a Dodgers game and take a home run “lap” around the bases, symbolizing the end of their battle against adversity.
“We are so pleased to continue the ‘Home Run For Life’ series with our partner INTEGRIS Health,” OKC Dodgers President/General Manager Michael Byrnes said. “Throughout the season, ‘Home Run For Life’ allows us to feature several extraordinary individuals from the local community who summoned a great deal of tenacity and courage to get where they are today.”
After a diagnosis of stage 2 breast cancer, Jarrell underwent surgery in December 2013. Over the course of the next seven months, she endured chemotherapy treatments at the INTEGRIS Cancer Institute every three weeks, followed by three months of radiation.
Severe pain in her bones and loss of muscle followed the treatments, and the pain endured even after she went into remission in November 2014.
Jarrell learned about the INTEGRIS Survivor Fit Program at INTEGRIS Pacer Fitness Center. The nine-week program is funded by donations from INTEGRIS employees who are passionate about eradicating cancer. The classes focus on improving patients’ mobility, flexibility, strength, coordination and mental clarity, and Jarrell became an active participant.
She has repeated the program and between sessions even joined the INTEGRIS Pacer Fitness Center to work out there regularly as a member.
Jarrell believes that the Survivor Fit Program changed her life, as she can now walk without pain and is grateful to have gotten her life back. She now serves as an inspiration to new patients coming into the program suffering the same pain she once felt.
To read Jarrell’s full story, visit okcdodgers.com.
