Highlights from Rock the Row 2023

Rock the Row Survivor Fitness Fundraising Event in Knoxville 2023

One of the most motivational aspects of the Survivor Fitness community is the way our partners and advocates rally together to support participants in their recovery journey. For the past decade, we’ve been amazed by the various ways people have donated their time and money (and in some cases, sweat) to sponsor scholarships for participants.

Rock the Row has become one of our cornerstone events. Former participants, trainers, board members, and advocates for Survivor Fitness all come together in teams to compete in a relay-style rowing competition. Leading up to the event, participants raise funds to help their team reach their goal to support Survivor Fitness participants. 

Highlights from Rock the Row Knoxville

Last month, we hosted our inaugural Rock the Row Knoxville at Performance Training, Inc.  Participants showed up early to begin the 20,000 and 30,000-meter competition. Here are a few highlights from the 2023 Rock the Row in Knoxville:

  • We had 13 teams (nearly 130 people) attend this event. 
  • Collectively, the teams rowed more than 260,000 meters! 
  • Rock the Row Knoxville blew its fundraising goal out of the water, raising more than $34,000 during this year’s event. 

Our hosts, Performance Training Inc., took first place in this year’s competition, and it was a blast watching each of the teams give it their all. 

Rock the Row Survivor Fitness Fundraising Event in Knoxville 2023
Rock the Row Survivor Fitness Fundraising Event in Knoxville 2023
Rock the Row Survivor Fitness Fundraising Event in Knoxville 2023
Rock the Row Survivor Fitness Fundraising Event in Knoxville 2023
Rock the Row Survivor Fitness Fundraising Event in Knoxville 2023
Rock the Row Survivor Fitness Fundraising Event in Knoxville 2023
Rock the Row Survivor Fitness Fundraising Event in Knoxville 2023

Highlights from Rock the Row Nashville 

The event in Knoxville was hard to top, but participants in Rock the Row Nashville definitely gave them a “row” for their money. Here are a few of the highlights from the 2023 Rock the Row in Nashville:

  • There were 7 teams (70 people) in attendance. 
  • Each team rowed a full marathon (a little over 42,000 meters). 
  • CrossFit Freeflow took first place at Nashville’s Rock the Row as well, completing in 2 hours and 17 minutes. 
  • The generosity from our Nashville community was terrific, with teams raising nearly $50,000 through the event. 

Here are a few favorite moments from our Nashville community rowing it out for Survivor Fitness participants: 

Rock the Row Fundraising Event participants pose for photo in Nashville
participants of Rock the Row Survivor Fitness Fundraising Event in Nashville
people watching happy woman rowing at Rock the Row Nashville
man using rowing machine at Rock the Row Nashville
people watching woman rowing at Survivor Fitness Fundraising Event
6 Rock the Row participants stand together for photo
3 women participants posing at Rock the Row Survivor Fitness Fundraising Event

Join us at Rock the Row in Chattanooga

Want to participate in our next Rock the Row event this year?  There’s still time to sign up for our next event in Chattanooga—where you and nine of your friends will go head-to-head to see who can row the fastest and raise the most, all to benefit cancer survivors in these communities! To learn more additional details or to register, please click here.

You can also stay updated on future Survivor Fitness events by signing up for our newsletter.

Board Member Spotlight: Devin Driscoll

Strength. Perseverance. Self-belief. These are all attributes that describe Survivor Fitness participants as they work to regain their health and fitness after treatment. Coincidentally, they’re also the characteristics that board member Devin Driscoll knows well — not only through his own story but through the countless athletes and individuals he has trained over the years. 

Today, Devin owns six D1 training facilities across Tennessee and Alabama. He also sits on D1 Corporate Training Panel, Franchise Advisory Council, and Validation Committee, where he utilizes his experience to support the 110 D1 franchises across the country.  

Devin’s journey in fitness and training began well before he connected with D1 founder, Will Bartholemew, in 2017. As a Knoxville native, Devin grew up playing sports throughout his childhood. Devin went on to play collegiate athletics and even wrestled for the WWE Federation for two years.

“I always loved lifting and training,” Devin said. “But I fell in love with fitness and recovery when I blew out my knee in college.”  

The lifelong passion Devin discovered in college became a career when he opened his own personal training company, Next Level Fitness, in 2007. At Next Level, he worked primarily with high school and college athletes. After nearly a decade of building his business, Devin connected with D1, creating the perfect opportunity to franchise multiple locations successfully. 

Devin’s passion for fitness and expertise in business intertwined with a few personal experiences when he first learned about Survivor Fitness in 2021. Like many Survivor Fitness board members and advocates, Devin’s had a front-row seat to the impact that a cancer diagnosis and treatment can have after watching multiple family members battle cancer, including his mother. 

“The first person I thought of when I heard about Survivor Fitness was my mom,” Devin explained. “She was actually my first client when I started my business. Knowing what she went through and how challenging it is to get back to the gym after treatment was something I’ll never forget.” 

After connecting with Survivor Fitness founder Aaron Grunke, Devin began using his local connections to support the Knoxville market while exploring opportunities for growth throughout the entire D1 community. Devin recognizes the welcoming environment at D1 is an ideal space for Survivor Fitness participants to train. 

“After treatment, the last place you want to go is somewhere that feels like a hospital,” he said. “D1 has such a different environment. Because so many of our clients are training for something, we’ve created a space that inspires people.” 

Devin officially joined the Survivor Fitness board of directors in 2023 and is looking forward to using his connections and knowledge to impact even more lives through the program.

“What excites me the most is being able to create connections between Survivor Fitness and the relationships we have to grow exponentially quicker.” 

After observing the community-oriented momentum that has grown within the fitness space in recent years, Devin is excited to see how the entire fitness community could wrap its arms around the mission of Survivor Fitness to support cancer survivors after treatment.

“It’s been so cool to see how people have come together and supported one another in the fitness community over the years,” he shared. “There’s so much momentum for the community. I think that’s where our team at D1 can really help the future of Survivor Fitness.”  

Participant Spotlight: Shaundrea Kee

At 28 years old, Shaundrea Kee was enjoying life as a newlywed and mother to a beautiful one-year-old girl. She was active and enjoyed working out at her local gym. However, it all seemed to change in just one morning after she found a lump in her breast.

After running ultrasounds and mammograms, the doctors informed Shaundrea that she had  HER2+ breast cancer. In order to fight cancer quickly, Shaundrea began a treatment plan that included six rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and a year of immunotherapy.

Like most cancer patients, Shaundrea had to deal with difficult and sometimes debilitating side effects of treatment. The chemotherapy affected her appetite, which made it challenging to eat anything and caused Shaundrea to lose over 25 pounds in the span of a few short months. 

“It was very difficult because I was once very active in the gym,” Shaundrea shared. “The hardest part was remembering how healthy and active I was right before being diagnosed. I had a goal of entering an NPC bikini competition but that quickly changed.”

Finding Great Strength

After treatment, Shaundrea was determined to work on her physical health and return to her previous activity level. That’s when she heard about Survivor Fitness from a friend. She realized that joining the program would help her regain the strength and stamina she had lost during treatment.  

“I wanted to have the guidance and help to ease me back into the gym,” she recalled. “But I didn’t realize how much I would love having a trainer cheer for me and encourage me during workouts.” 

Shaundrea was paired with a personal fitness trainer, Karen Kuzmyn, to begin bi-weekly workouts over the span of the next three months. As they worked together, Shaundrea recognized that Karen seemed to know exactly when she needed to be encouraged and when she needed to be challenged in the gym. 

“Karen was an absolute godsend,” Shaundrea said. “She challenged and encouraged me physically and mentally.”

More Park Dates and Bike Rides

As she continued through the program, Shaundrea noticed her energy levels increasing and her mood improving. Gradually, she began to feel like her old self again. This was most evident in her newfound energy to enjoy time with her daughter again. 

“Being in the gym helped me to increase my energy so that I could play with my daughter at the park or ride bikes together,” Shaundrea said. “I was afraid that I would never get back to feeling this good while going through treatments.”

Like most Survivor Fitness participants, Shaundrea learned how meaningful it can be to be surrounded by personal support after cancer treatment. She also recognized how valuable it can be to participate in a program that not only focuses on physical health but on the mental and nutritional aspects of well-being.  

“I feel so much better inside and out,” she shared. “Having this program support you so thoroughly really gives you that motivation to go even harder for yourself.” 

Get Back to Living with Survivor Fitness 

Survivor Fitness has worked alongside survivors of every age, fitness level, and diagnosis to help individuals achieve their fitness goals after cancer treatment. While each participant’s journey is unique, every cancer survivor’s story gives us the momentum to continue providing this service to those who need it most. To learn more about becoming a Survivor Fitness participant, connect with us today.