Finding the Strength to Survive

Written by Alison Johnson
Photo by Brian M. Freer

[dropcap]When breast cancer knocked her down, Tracey Dickson Scott got back up— and began exercising. Now, the Hampton resident and former fitness instructor has been selected to appear in Under Armour’s national “Power In Pink” ad campaign.[/dropcap]

On one of Tracey Dickson Scott’s worst days during chemotherapy, when she was so sick and exhausted that she could barely stand up, her mother gave her this advice: get up and get moving. Dickson Scott had been an athlete before her breast cancer diagnosis in 2008, running races and working as a certified fitness instructor. Her body was already reeling from chemotherapy drugs and steroids, her mother told her, and the lack of exercise was confusing it even more.

At first, the advice made Dickson Scott angry; she thought her mother was downplaying her condition. Then she realized fitness might be exactly what she needed to gain some control over her disease. Cancer, she decided, wouldn’t use her as a punching bag any longer. And as she gradually began to work out again—even if she could manage just a walk around the block—her depression lifted and her body responded more positively to treatment.

“I decided that I was going to use this situation to become better and stronger than when it found me,” says Dickson Scott, now 45 and cancer-free. “This breast cancer had found me and knocked me down, yes, but because of it I would be better. I took it personally.”

Dickson Scott now hopes her story can help inspire other cancer patients—or anyone going through a tough time in their lives. Recently, the Hampton resident learned she was one of three women chosen to appear a national advertising campaign from Under Armour, an athletic apparel and footwear company, called “Power In Pink: She’s a Fighter.” Dickson Scott won the company’s annual contest with her essay on the power of a healthy lifestyle in fighting cancer, which is the message of the campaign.

Her prizes included a trip to Baltimore to shoot photos for display in stores that sell the Power In Pink brand, and $5,000 for a charity of her choice. Dickson Scott will donate the money to Beyond Boobs!, a local organization that supports young women diagnosed with breast cancer and provides breast health information. Dickson Scott leaned on Beyond Boobs! after her diagnosis and now sits on its Board of Directors. “They helped me when there was so much I didn’t know, starting with understanding my pathology report,” she says. “I could call in the middle of the night. I also saw that I wasn’t alone—that there were other young women going through this.”

The $5,000 will fund a position for a college intern to help with the group’s mission, says Mary Beth Gibson, co-founder of Beyond Boobs! and a breast cancer survivor. “Tracey is a role model for others because she has truly embraced fitness for herself and motivates others to do the same,” Gibson says. “While fitness is so important for everyone’s overall health, it is especially critical for women who have had breast cancer as exercise is known to reduce a women’s risk of recurrence.”

Dickson Scott, a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines and part-time model and actress, had a double mastectomy and continues to take daily medication to guard against a recurrence of cancer. But she’s happier and fitter than ever, enjoying life with her husband, Lorne, who supported her throughout treatment, and splitting her time between Hampton, San Antonio and Chicago for work. She runs at least three or four days a week, has done several half-marathons and adds in cross-training and weights. “I like to mix it up,” she says. “I’m kind of a beast when it comes to working out.” A vegetarian, she eats lots of fish, eggs, beans, vegetables and whole grains, snacks on nuts and hummus and avoids sugar, fried and packaged foods and alcohol as much as possible. At 5-feet-3-inches, she has gone from a top weight of 157 pounds to a lean 117 pounds.

“I hope I am relatable to a lot of people,” she says. “Maybe someone who feels defeated will find strength and hope in my story. Maybe they’ll think, ‘If she can do it, so can I.’”

TRACY’S TIPS:

Set small goals. They’re easier to reach, so you’ll feel triumphant and not defeated. Then set more goals as you move forward.

Don’t beat yourself up. If you blow your diet or workout, dust yourself off and try again!

Push yourself! Step out of your comfort zone. If you have always done the same thing, you will always get the same result. Try something new like Zumba, Boot Camp or CrossFit, preferably with a friend who can help motivate you to go.

Work up a sweat! My own thought is if you ain’t sweating then you ain’t working!

Don’t be afraid to lift weights. Muscle turns your body into a fat-burning furnace. I promise you will never look like Popeye!

Don’t get discouraged by the number on the scale. Muscle weighs more than fat, but it takes up less space and torches fat and calories even at rest. I choose muscle!

Think of yourself as in control. Those cookies and cakes will still be there once you reach your goal, but by that time you probably will no longer want them because a healthy, lean body feels better than a piece of pound cake ever could.

Never give up. No matter what, stay in the fight, because this may be the time you actually get it done!

Respect your body. It’s the vehicle that has to drive you through life, and you want it to last a long time with few breakdowns. You take care of your car. Why not your body?

Alison Johnson: Alison Johnson is a freelance writer who specializes in feature stories on health, nutrition and fitness, as well as biographical profiles. A former full-time newspaper reporter, she has worked for two Virginia dailies and the Associated Press in Richmond. She lives in Yorktown, Va., with her husband and two sons.