Julie's Story

Breast Cancer

As a mother of four and a successful businesswoman, Julie was dealing with as much as she could handle on a daily basis. Throw in an active lifestyle and a runner’s mentality, and you’ve got someone who can take just about anything in stride.

Julie was in awe at how quickly everything moved following her initial cancer diagnosis of a rare breast sarcoma. Immediately following her diagnosis, Julie underwent surgery to remove the cancer and started an aggressive schedule of proton radiation—40 sessions targeting her chest wall. And after multiple recurrences of the sarcoma, she had endured four surgeries and six weeks of radiation followed by five months of chemotherapy.

That intensity of treatment is bound to cause issues with pain and muscle tightness. She knew she couldn’t let those side effects get in the way of her recovery. She found relief whenever her oncologist was proactive about sending her to cancer rehabilitation.

The ReVital Difference

Julie considers herself lucky to have had a radiation oncologist who was proactive in prescribing physical therapy as a part of her treatment plan. “It seemed at the time like a small detail,” she notes. But it would prove to be an indispensable part of preparing her for treatment and recovery.

"My ReVital therapist had so many examples of patients she had worked with, people who came to her late in their treatment with severe issues that were preventing them from performing daily activities and that affected mobility,” she adds. “Their doctors hadn’t told them about the benefits of physical therapy, didn’t make it a priority, and didn’t refer them. My therapist had a working knowledge not only of cancer, but sarcoma specifically. She possessed an in-depth understanding of different treatments and how they could impact quality of life."

While the nerve damage, muscle pain and tightness, and the separation of her surgical scar were significant challenges to overcome, Julie’s mentality and the encouragement of her cancer care team helped her resume physical therapy and work her way back to living and enjoying a pain-free life.