Cured of breast cancer, Laurence Carisey finds herself alone at home, mentally and physically exhausted. Thanks to the resumption of physical activity, via the Sport Health program, she regains form, motivation and her physical condition. Friday, February 7, she will participate for the third consecutive year in the Avirose Challenge to promote sports practice as therapy. His testimony for Why Doctor.
“Why me?” asks Laurence Carisey, at the end of December 2015. Aged 52, this Cristolienne has just learned that she has breast cancer. Affected but not defeated, she embarked on a medical battle against the disease from which she emerged victorious in February 2016 after heavy treatment and several operations. The following months were not easy. Stiffness, muscular and psychological fatigue, pain… The fight against cancer has left its mark.
It all starts with a flyer
Almost ten months later, Laurence came across a flyer by chance. “Aviron santé had written there. Nothing else, she remembers. I had already done it when I was younger and I told myself that it was what I needed to regain my morale and make the pain go away. She was not mistaken. This flyer will change his life.
After researching the internet, she gave it a try and joined a health rowing club near her home. “It’s a complete activity since it works the whole body, and the advantage of the Health Sport program is that we are supervised by a trained coach to support us in resuming physical activity. ” Laurence also benefited from financial support from the sports mutual fund, which covered part of the membership fee.
The benefits of training are not long in being felt. “We dare to move, we meet people, we breathe and we move better. We are so cared for in the hospital that when I got home, I felt a bit alone. Sport has really allowed me to free myself”, she adds. Without being a great sportswoman, Laurence has always done physical activity. However, that is nothing compared to the two weekly rowing workouts that she practice now, not to mention the aquagym and the dragonboat that she started recently.
“I live again”
Getting into the sport hasn’t always been easy, especially in the beginning. The school teacher concedes that she sometimes had to “jostle” to go to training, but she never gave up. “The great thing about rowing is that it’s a team sport. Having teammates motivates you and you tell yourself that you can’t let them down”. More than three years after starting, she admits bluntly: “I am living again”.
The practice of rowing allowed Laurence to get rid of his pain. “Sometimes I hurt all over before going to training but after sports everything was better.” She also regained mobility in her right arm. “I couldn’t stretch it,” she recalls. After a few training sessions and a few sessions with the physiotherapist, his arm regained all its mobility and the pain disappeared.
Make women want to practice a sport
In addition to physical and mental well-being, resuming sport has allowed Laurence to find the strength and courage to return to work. A school teacher, she now works 75% in a suitable short-term position. His schedule is busy today, between sport and work.
Now in great shape, Laurence is participating for the third consecutive year in the Avirose Challenge, organized by the French Rowing Federation (FFA) and in partnership with the Aviron santé program. Her participation in this event seems obvious to her and a way for her to motivate women and men to practice sport to regain shape and well-being. “I want to tell people to go for it, to go for it. It feels so good. I want to make women want to do sport, be it rowing or something else”, she concludes.
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