Women’s History Month: Breast Cancer Survivor’s Story of Strength

CHARLOTTE, NC — When you look at Sabrina Rodriguez working out you would never know that just a few years ago she was fighting for her life after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I sat in my backyard for about two hours, really thinking about how my life was about to change drastically,”

Rodriguez said the day she received the diagnosis is one that she will never forget.

“So I did about 6 or 7 months of chemo. That was every week. It was about eight hours every time I would go.”

Chemo, was followed by a lumpectomy to remove the lymph nodes contributing to the cancer.

Rodriguez started working out while going through radiation after her lumpectomy.

“I needed to remember that there is more to life than just sitting there and wallowing in just what I’m going through,” Rodriguez said.

Her mental health started to improve and physically she started to get stronger.

“I realized that I needed to be strong for my kids, both my daughters. So I just had to keep pushing myself through, and I didn’t want my kids to look at me as being weak or just giving up,” Rodriguez said.

Then finally victory – Rodriguez ringing the bell symbolizing that she is cancer free.

Rodriguez is now a manager at the same gym she worked out at.

She works alongside personal trainer and wellness coach Mars Ellerby who said strength training helps your body become stronger increasing your outcomes of surviving cancer.

“Resistance exercises heightens the metabolism and with a heightened metabolism comes a quicker recovery rate,” Ellerby said.

Ellerby recommends starting with weights.

“Try to incorporate body weight exercises and then once you’re stronger, then you can go to bands and then from there you can probably do stabilizer machines,” Ellerby said.

With cancer behind her and a bright future ahead of her… many people would call Rodriguez a survivor, but she has a different word.

“For me, it’s being a warrior because you definitely have to fight a battle – but I feel amazing. I have the most confidence I’ve ever had.”