Fighting cancer . . . one pushup at a time
Cancer survivor Iris Rinkoff, left, credits her physical fitness for greatly aiding her battle with breast cancer.
Fitness instructor Sandra Alvarez, right, has developed a program she calls Beat It Beat It Boot Camp that
uses nutrition and physical fitness to help people overcome not only cancer,
but the side-effects of the
medical treatment of cancer.
Written by Don Fraser, Standard Staff.
Sandra Alvarez is fighting a war, using weights, aerobics and a zeal for life as ammo.
She aims to conquer the debilitating effects of cancer, and its treatment, through fitness and nutrition.
As in Alvarez's own life challenges, giving up isn't an option.
Over the last decade, she's overcome immense hurdles, including a devastating breakup and her father's death from cancer.
She also slayed a serious drug problem.
"In this battle, we're about combat," said the 43-year-old at her west St. Catharines home, which is also a studio for Alvarez Fitness. "We're going to fight cancer and we're not retreating."
Alvarez was born in Medellin, Columbia. As an infant, she moved with her family to New York and then Atlanta. There, her father Oscar rose in the ranks to become a dentist.
Alvarez became a certified personal trainer and aerobics instructor, as well as an accomplished competitive bodybuilder.
Although she was in great shape, trouble muscled into her life.
"Just like those beautiful models who look gorgeous, but their insides are all rotten," she said. "You take all that bad stuff because you think it will help you look and feel good."
In 1999, Alvarez kicked her substance abuse problem.
The move transformed her life, brought renewed focus and made her sympathize with people battling major diseases.
"My addictions were my disease that wanted me dead," she said. "It's why I have to give back. I think it's why I relate to cancer patients so well, because it's a disease. I also feel it's my responsibility to maintain my body, my spirit and surround myself with good people."
After moving to St. Catharines with her common-law spouse in 2003, she faced more obstacles. The couple split two years later and Alvarez was uprooted, with no family in the country.
With the help of friends and the Gateway Christian Fellowship, she got her life back together. Alvarez was soon economically stable enough to buy a home.
"I love my little house," she said in her trademark chipper tone that often breaks into full-throttle laughter.
"It's just me, and my girls (volunteers) that pop up every now and then."
It was a stability that Alvarez needed for her next challenge - her father's diagnosis and death from brain cancer.
For seven months, he battled the disease in Atlanta. Alvarez, whose Canadian residency status was in limbo, couldn't leave the country. Alvarez's mother and four siblings also live in the U.S.
"It was horrible," she said, fighting back tears. "He begged me not to come see him because if I left Canada, I couldn't come back."
Alvarez comforted him by phone and webcam at every chance.
She was on the line with her father when he drew his last breath on March 28, 2008, at age 62.
On the one-year passing of her father's passing, she asked him what she should be doing. His spiritual message - set up a fun exercise boot camp for cancer survivors.
She called i the Beat It Beat It Boot Camp, merging Michael Jackson's hit with a cancer fighting spirit.
Her free sessions, which focus on fitness and food advice with nutritionist Craig Bowman, started in March.
Alvarez's bread-and-butter is her personal training that includes sessions at Fulton Fitness and Downtown Health Club for women in St. Catharines.
She also holds a Beat The Bulge bootcamp that focuses on exercise and weight reduction.
There is more on her plate, as her drive to make cancer survivors healthier continues.
On Aug. 28, Alvarez held a Latin dance night at Stella's restaurant in St. Catharines. The fundraiser was for the cancer support group Wellspring Niagara and her fitness and wellness efforts for cancer patients.
More than 150 came to the footloose bash, which raised $5,000 in cash and donations of materials. Another fundraising dance has been scheduled at Stella's for Nov. 12 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
"There's nothing better than dancing," she said. "You feel so free, you feel alive and it burns fat away."
Ultimately, she'd like to help establish a separate fitness / wellness centre for Niagara cancer survivors and continue to hold special sessions for Wellspring.
As a first step, she and friends are building a bigger studio in her garage.
Meanwhile, Alvarez is currently working with five cancer survivors.
"I have no scientific proof that it helps," she said. "But the clients have all lost weight, built up their strength, their moods are different and they're coming out of that cave. I am convinced it makes a difference."
Iris Rinkoff, 55, is among those grateful clients.
Rinkoff, a St. Catharines child-care supervisor, has beat her breast cancer and credits her physical fitness for helping her do it.
"I really believe exercise got me through it," Rinkoff said. With Alvarez, "I needed someone to challenge me. I've evolved into something else and Sandra is helping me find that."
St. Catharines MP Rick Dykstra, who does not have cancer, is one of Alvarez's clients. He's also gone through a physical transformation with Alvarez's help.
"Sandra's energy comes from the success she has in helping others," Dykstra said. "Both of our fathers passed away from cancer around the same time," he added. "It's given her a renewed focus on fitness and how important it is in our personal lives."
Alvarez feels she has many miles to go before she sleeps.
"I'm on borrowed time so I love every day," she said. "The show must go on. And we're going to fight cancer one pushup at a time."
