Partner Spotlight: Brandon Holt & Personal Best Fitness

Survivor Fitness wouldn’t exist without the dozens of trainers, nutrition specialists, and fitness center managers who work with participants every day. Brandon Holt, Trainer at Personal Best Fitness in Brentwood, TN, has been there since the very beginning. 

After surviving an aggressive form of testicular cancer at the age of 23, Survivor Fitness Founder, Aaron Grunke, had the idea for a nonprofit that would empower survivors to truly overcome cancer through health and wellness. He took the idea to Brandon to discuss what the program could look like and how they could raise enough money to get the idea off the ground. 

“This is Going to Change So Many Lives”

As a certified fitness trainer, Brandon helped design a training template that participants could follow while Aaron worked on the organizational details. With the framework in place, it was time to start raising awareness and funds. 

“In early 2013, I had this crazy idea that we should walk 24 straight hours on a treadmill to raise the money,” Brandon recalled. “24 hours (59 miles), $10,000, and too many blisters to count later, we had the money to take our first client.” 

Our very first Survivor Fitness Participant was Cheryl. She had recently finished treatment and was looking to “feel like herself again.” Brandon began training Cheryl through a 12-week program. About halfway through the program, Brandon got a visit he’ll never forget.  

“I’ll never forget the day that Cheryl’s husband and children walked into my office unexpectedly just to tell me ‘thank you,’” Brandon shared. Cheryl’s family had already recognized a difference in her and wanted to express their gratitude for helping her gain back her confidence. 

Brandon immediately called Aaron and said, “This is going to change lives!” 

10 years later, that’s definitely true.

Impacting More Lives With Personal Best Fitness 

In 2018, Brandon joined the team at Personal Best Fitness. Getting Survivor Fitness going at Personal Best was a priority for him, and their team quickly started training participants.

To date, the team at Personal Best has trained more than two dozen participants. Their stories continue to inspire Brandon and the other trainers at Personal Best to tell as many people about the program as they can. Like many trainers and dietitians who partner with Survivor Fitness, Brandon described how he always gets more from the participants than he can ever give to them.

“Survivor Fitness participants are some of the most grateful, hardworking, and motivated clients I have ever worked with in my 20+ years of personal training,” Brandon recalled. “Each participant has such a unique story full of highs and lows but with a victorious ending.”

“Getting Your Life Back is a Marathon, Not a Sprint”

After training more than 20 cancer patients over the years, Brandon has learned some incredibly insightful lessons when it comes to regaining strength after treatment. One of the first things Brandon often encourages participants to remember is that getting your life back is a marathon, not a sprint. 

“The first step is the hardest,” he shared. “Once you walk through that door and meet your trainer, you can have confidence that everyone is working very hard to make sure you have a great, safe experience. The community that surrounds you wants nothing more than for you to be successful.” 

After more than a decade of working with participants, Brandon is still excited every time a new Survivor Fitness participant walks in the door, and he continues to be one of the biggest advocates for post-treatment training.

“Whether you are a trainer or gym thinking about if Survivor Fitness might be a good fit, or if you are a potential participant, just do it,” Brandon said. “You will not regret it.”

We’re incredibly grateful for all the work Brandon and the team at Personal Best have put into making Survivor Fitness what it is today. He has been involved in everything from designing our training template, participating in our very first fundraising event, and continually advocating for our mission.

If you’re a trainer, dietitian, or health professional interested in joining the Survivor Fitness partner network, we’d love to share more information with you. If you’re a cancer survivor in Tennessee, connect with our team today to learn how you can get started with our program!

Partner Spotlight: A|Train Fitness Coaching

One of the gifts we’ve experienced at Survivor Fitness is the opportunity to partner with world-class fitness centers and nutrition partners across Tennessee. And while participants often talk about how life-changing it is to work with a fitness specialist, the experience is just as impactful for our coaches and trainers. 

Every trainer, fitness center, and nutritional specialist we partner with has their own reason for being part of the Survivor Fitness network. For some, it’s an opportunity to help make a tangible difference for someone who’s gone through a difficult season. Others have a more personal connection. That’s the story for Anita Slaughter, owner of A|Train Fitness Coaching in Nashville. 

Anita has been a personal trainer and fitness coach for more than 20 years. While some trainers are drawn to the performance coaching and aesthetic component of fitness, Anita always knew the health component would drive her fitness career. She also had a personal connection with cancer that made her decision to partner with Survivor Fitness a “no-brainer.” 

“My mother had a full hysterectomy and double mastectomy by the age of 34. She had non-Hodgkins lymphoma as a teenager. She’s a fighter through and through,” Anita recalled. “Knowing the impact fitness and proper nutrition has on our overall health and ability to fight off cancer and disease is all the inspiration I need!”

Anita and her team at A|Train have been working with Survivor Fitness participants for years. As a Cancer Exercise Specialist Certification Facility, the team at A|Train does an incredible job of helping participants take a step-by-step approach toward wellness, focusing on one day at a time.

Getting Survivors Back on Their Feet Again 

Every Survivor Fitness participant has their own unique story and journey of recovery. Most are looking for ways to recover at least some of the strength and endurance they experienced before their diagnosis. Everyone’s journey is different as they look to recover strength and return to their routines after a cancer diagnosis. Anita highlighted one particular story in which that goal was quite literal. 

“If I had to single out a particularly inspiring moment, it was a client who was diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma and lost a good portion of her quadricep muscle,” Anita shared.  

The participant’s only goal was to be able to get off the ground after playing with her grandchildren. She had been told by a physical therapist that she had too much muscle loss to be able to push up from the ground without assistance. Carrie Loughlin, the participant’s A|Train Fitness coach, suggested they just work with the muscles that were still functioning effectively. 

“I’ll never forget that moment. I was at my desk, and I heard shouting and I thought something horrific happened,” Anita remembered. “I ran downstairs to find her crying tears of joy!  For the first time, she was able to stand up from the floor on her own!”  

It was a moment that no one in that room will ever forget. Anita described how they were all in tears and their outlook on life was forever changed. 

Experiencing a Future of Hope 

It can be overwhelming for cancer survivors to even know where to begin after a life-altering experience. The team of coaches at A|Train do an incredible job of guiding and directing participants to undertake safe and effective fitness programs. 

Every cancer survivor they train receives a personalized approach. Anita and her team tailor each program based on the participant’s age, diagnosis, fitness level, and what treatments they received.

The recovery journey is full of difficult and challenging moments. But it’s a different kind of journey than the one cancer survivors experience during treatment. 

“My favorite part of working with participants is the first time they see HOPE in their future,” Anita described. “For us to be able to provide direction and guidance toward a healthy future makes my heart full. It is an emotional journey and lots of tears of joy are shed throughout the process.”

Join the Survivor Fitness Community

We’re incredibly grateful for the team at A|Train and the life-changing expertise they offer Survivor Fitness participants.

If you’re a personal trainer or fitness center who is interested in supporting cancer survivors after treatment, connect with our team to learn how you can join the Survivor Fitness network.

If you’re a cancer survivor looking to “get back on your feet” after treatment, we’d love for you to check out our program or submit an application today! 

Partner Spotlight: Performance Training, Inc.

performance training team

When Survivor Fitness launched our program in Nashville in 2013, we quickly realized how many cancer survivors across our state needed support when it came to building strength, losing weight, or regaining a sense of normalcy after a cancer diagnosis. Initially, we began partnering with trainers and fitness centers in Brentwood and Murfreesboro. In 2018, we had the opportunity to expand into our next major city: Knoxville. As we were looking for a way to expand the reach of our program, our friends at Performance Training enthusiastically offered their support. The owner of Performance Training, Jackie Ansley, and her team were passionate about learning everything they could to support cancer survivors during recovery. 

Jared Lawrence, Director of Development & Marketing at Performance Training, worked with our very first Survivor Fitness participant in Knoxville. Today, he is the first point of contact for our Knoxville participants who train at PTI. Like many of the trainers and dietitians who work with participants, Jared’s life has been impacted by the program just as much as the people he trains.

A New Perspective About What’s Possible 

“Before I started with Survivor Fitness, cancer was just a word to me because I hadn’t been personally impacted by it,” Jared explained. “Now that I’ve seen the difference that health and fitness make for people after treatment, I want to help in every single way that I can.” 

Jared understands that signing up for a fitness program after treatment might be intimidating. That’s why the team at PTI has done an incredible job of creating a positive and encouraging environment for people of every age, fitness level, or diagnosis. 

“If you come in just once, you’ll quickly realize that you’re not alone,” Jared said. “We’re going to welcome you and accept you where you are. You might meet three or four other cancer survivors along the way.”

Countless Stories of Inspiration and Transformation

Jared is inspired by the transformation that participants experience from their first visit to the gym to the conclusion of their program. As he recalled his experience with Survivor Fitness, Jared reflected on numerous stories of the many participants that have benefited. 

One such participant was named Deb. Deb was the first Survivor Fitness participant in Knoxville. (And she just recently celebrated her 5-year cancer-free anniversary!) Although she was initially hesitant to start training, today she participates in the SF group fitness program at PTI multiple days per week. 

Jared also recalled working with a 30-year-old participant who was looking to gain strength after cancer treatment. He wanted to regain strength in his legs so he could get back to the lifting he enjoyed before cancer. When he first started the program, he could only squat around 100 pounds. When he left, he was squatting 315!

“Honestly, it’s hard for me to pick a single inspiring moment or story because they all are special,” Jared said. “There are countless moments of encouragement, hope, and positivity that I’ve seen over the years.” 

Helping Survivors “Get Their Glow Back” 

Jared and the team at Performance Training are intentional about giving participants the peace of mind that they can achieve things that seem impossible when they first start. 

“It might be easy for people to think there’s so much they CAN’T do because they had cancer,” he recalled. “Yet, they’ve survived surgery, cancer, chemo, and/or radiation. We want to help them realize they actually CAN do it.”

That’s what Jared likes to see. Getting people back to the point that they could do things that they thought they could never do again.

“Many of the participants get their glow back,” he expressed. “I love getting to tell people that they are going to be able to regain some of the stuff they lost during cancer, like picking up their grandkids, running around with their kids, or running a half marathon.” 

To date, the team at Performance Training has served more than 80 participants. Their team has worked with over a dozen cancer survivors this year alone. We’re incredibly grateful for their partnership and look forward to more stories of transformation for our Knoxville Survivor Fitness participants for years to come. 

If you’re a cancer survivor in Tennessee, connect with our team today to learn how you can get started with our program!