Nadiyah’s story: Moving beyond lymphedema

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After a breast cancerdiagnosis, Nadiyah discovers new ways to exercise and thrive while she navigateslymphedemaand sciatica.

Prior to her diagnosis ofinflammatory breast cancerat 29, Nadiyah did not really exercise. Since diagnosis, she has been trying to become more active, but lymphedema, spinal stenosis, and sciatica are real issues for her. Sometimes Nadiyah is concerned about causing injury to herself, but she knows that exercise is a gateway to a long, healthy life – plus, Nadiyah has new reasons for wanting to stay strong for many more years! So, she turns fear into fuel and embraces physical movement with self-compassion, determination, and resilience.

I would recommend to someone that is hesitant to exercise as a breast cancer survivor to just get moving, do what you can, and take your time.

Nadiyah

• Keep your phone a few feet away from you whenever possible

• Walk with a friend, to a friend’s house, or just go for a stroll

• Dust, sweep, vacuum, or mop your home

• Do gardening or yard work

• Park far from your stop and walk (or get off your bus/train early)

• Touch your toes, march in place, and stretch every bathroom break

• Put your favorite music on and dance whenever the rhythm moves you!

• Start slow if you haven’t been active in a while

• Wear your compression garments when exercising

• Take physical activity at your own pace and set goals that are achievable for you

Tip: Jotting down your goals and tracking your progress in a notebook, planner, app, or calendar can be a great way to stay motivated.

Join Nadiyah and the other participants in our new, 3-week exercise series featuring 9 workouts of about 20 minutes each and designed especially for people who are going through or recovering from treatment, preparing for surgeries, or regaining mobility aftersurgery.

Learn more aboutinflammatory breast cancer

Get the information you need aboutlymphedemaand availabletreatments

Watch thesession recordings from the 2023 Knowledge is power: The Black breast cancer experience

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Nadiyah Brown

Adriana Lecuona, MFA

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Living Beyond Breast Cancer is a national nonprofit organization that seeks to create a world that understands there is more than one way to have breast cancer. To fulfill its mission of providing trusted information and a community of support to those impacted by the disease, Living Beyond Breast Cancer offers on-demand emotional, practical, and evidence-based content. For over 30 years, the organization has remained committed to creating a culture of acceptance — where sharing the diversity of the lived experience of breast cancer fosters self-advocacy and hope. For more information,learn more about our programs and services.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer

40 Monument Road, Suite 104

Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004

Originally published on The Patient Story: https://www.lbbc.org/blog/nadiyahs-story-moving-beyond-lymphedema