MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS Newcastle resident Jo Gartenberg at the annual fitness retreat. TEAM SURVIVOR NORTHWEST EMPOWERING WOMEN IN NEWC A S TLE AND THE GREA TER SEA TTLE AREA BY JESSICA IVINS COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, TEAM SURVIVOR NORTHWEST W 12 October 2023 hen you hear the word cancer, you may think of chemo, radiation, surgery, and hardship. But at Team Survivor Northwest, cancer means climbing mountains, weekly hiking and walking groups, sweating it out in fitness classes, paddling in Dragon Boat races, and training for triathlons. Team Survivor is a local nonprofit organization that provides free health, fitness, and wellness programs to women who have had a cancer diagnosis. Whether in active treatment, remission, or facing a new diagnosis, these women reclaim their power by moving their bodies and healing their hearts together. “The comment that I hear the most from our members is how they never realized a cancer group could be such a positive place. They love being around others who get what they are going through without having to explain anything, without others feeling pity toward them, and often without even having to talk about cancer unless it comes up naturally in conversation,” says Executive Director Jennefer Boyer. “They can be themselves.” These words ring true for member and Newcastle resident Amy Robertson, who was diagnosed with stage-3 breast cancer in April 2020 – two weeks into the COVID-19 lockdown.
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