If you met Mary Hooper today, you might describe her as outgoing, energetic, and a little rambunctious. At 76, she loves to laugh, isn’t afraid of a challenge, and has become one of Survivor Fitness’ biggest advocates.
But there was a time when Mary didn’t recognize herself.
After two cancer diagnoses and years of treatment, she found herself struggling with something she hadn’t expected: figuring out what came next.
Finding Her Way Through Two Cancer Journeys
Mary’s first experience with cancer came in 2018, when she was diagnosed with an ovarian tumor. She underwent chemotherapy while continuing to work in the laboratory at the same hospital where she received her treatment.
Several years later, Mary was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer and underwent chemotherapy, followed by a double mastectomy.
Today, she is more than five years out from that diagnosis. Even though her treatment ended years ago, getting back to life as usual proved harder than Mary expected.
She found herself in a deep funk. She didn’t have much motivation and didn’t feel like doing the things she once enjoyed.
“The only person who didn’t really recognize it was me,” Mary says. “I’m thankful for the other people in my life who realized I wasn’t myself and encouraged me to take steps to get better.”
Both Mary’s oncologist and her daughter—who happen to be best friends—kept encouraging her to look into Survivor Fitness. Mary wasn’t immediately convinced; in fact, she admits that her initial interest might have been driven more by spite than fighting spirit.
“If I was ever going to hush them up about it, I needed to do it,” she jokes.
That decision changed more than she expected.
“You are the toughest person in this building.”
Mary was paired with Weston Ford, a trainer at Armor Fitness in Knoxville. She admits she felt self-conscious walking into the gym for the first time.
“I thought being labeled as a cancer survivor would make it worse for me,” she says.
Instead, she discovered the opposite. On her first day, Weston told her: “You are the toughest person in this building.”
The words stuck. Again, Mary confronted an aspect of herself that someone else had recognized and put to words for her.
“They welcomed me, but they also believed in me,” Mary says. “They made me feel like I was strong.”
At first, Mary didn’t even know how to use the equipment. Weston took time to walk through everything and showed her how each piece of equipment would help her. Then he encouraged her to try something new.
Before long, Mary was using the rowing machine, trying exercises she never imagined herself doing, and—perhaps most surprisingly—started looking forward to her gym days.
“I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing some of the stuff that I’m doing now,” she says. “It gives me purpose in the morning.”
“It was a great way to get the old Mary back.”
For Mary, the benefit of those 12 weeks went far beyond physical exercise.
The encouragement, accountability, and relationship she built with Weston helped her reconnect with a part of herself that had gotten lost somewhere along the way.
“I think it saved me,” she says. “You don’t realize how far down you get. It was a great way to get the old Mary back.”
Today, Mary sees recovery differently.
She knows the people around you can see what you can’t see for yourself, and that asking for help is not a sign of weakness.
Mary describes herself as “an old country girl who fights like a badger.” These days, she’s not afraid to try something new. She recently signed up to continue working out with Weston at Armor Fitness. She’s eager to encourage other survivors to do the same, using her tenacity to convince every cancer survivor she knows to join the program.
Keep moving forward with Survivor Fitness
Mary’s story proves that recovery doesn’t end when treatment does. Sometimes, finding your way forward means accepting support, trying something unfamiliar, and allowing yourself to grow stronger, one step at a time.
At Survivor Fitness, we’re here to help survivors do exactly that. Our free programs connect cancer survivors with trained fitness professionals and other resources designed to support the physical and emotional journey after cancer.
You don’t have to figure out your next chapter alone. Take the first step and see what you can achieve. Learn more about our programs or apply today.
