John Hielckert knows the importance of being active and fit. The athletic septuagenarian even ran the Rotterdam Marathon once. But sometimes life throws unexpected challenges in your face. The day before John turned 65, he was diagnosed with Waldenström's disease, an incurable form of blood cancer. Due to the neuropathy caused by the disease, John could eventually only hobble short distances around the house. Walking, let alone running, was a daily struggle. By chance, John found Happy Bodies in Lisse, and now he's fully enjoying life again. In this blog post, John shares how Happy Bodies and the Milon Circle contributed to his success.
I've been active my whole life and even ran the Rotterdam Marathon a few times. Around 2010, I started experiencing increasing fatigue. My GP didn't take me seriously for a long time, so I wasn't diagnosed until 2013: Waldenström's disease, a rare form of blood cancer. Knowing it was an incurable disease at the time, the doctors gave me about ten years to live. After a few years, I started experiencing increasingly sharp pains in my feet and also mild pain in my hands. It turned out to be neuropathy, a nerve disorder that caused pain, tingling, and numbness in my limbs. At one point, I could only hobble around the house. I felt truly disabled.
In 2022, I was completely out of it and started chemotherapy. I was dreading it immensely, but after five rounds of chemotherapy, my IgM, a type of antibody that plays a crucial role in the body's immune system, had already dropped from 26.69 to 9. And that level is still dropping. A fantastic result. In March, I turned 76, so I've now easily reached the number of years they gave me back then, and I hope to add a few more years to it.
In 2018, my wife Carla and I moved to Lisse, to a so-called "life-sustaining" home near our children. It took a few more years, but in mid-2023, we stumbled upon Happy Bodies in Lisse, where we live. They use the Milon circle. Before you start, the Milonizer scans your body based on biometric markers. This is incredibly convenient, as all the equipment is always perfectly configured for you personally, even if you have physical complaints. My muscle and fat mass were also measured. The equipment then tracks your progress during every workout, and you receive support from well-trained professionals. This makes progress truly demonstrable, which is very different from the average gym. My wife and I now go to Happy Bodies every other day and also follow the Happy Bodies nutrition program. My muscle mass is visibly improving, and my fat mass is decreasing. From our very first intake at Happy Bodies Lisse, Carla and I felt incredibly supported. The careful guidance, the removal of the fear of injuries and the confidence that you are in good hands is invaluable to us.
Chemotherapy has a profound impact on the body. It not only destroys cancer cells but also impacts healthy cells. The recovery process after chemotherapy is intensive and requires healthy cells to become active again and help the body recover. This is a demanding task for the body, and any support is welcome. I find that support at Happy Bodies. Thanks to my training with Happy Bodies, the painful neuropathy caused by my illness has reduced to a level I consider acceptable. In short, my quality of life has improved enormously.
My goal is to postpone my next chemotherapy as far in the future as possible, thanks to strength training. According to my hematologist, this could be three to four years. Due to the proven growth in my muscle mass, I'm aiming for ten years. Is that realistic? Time will tell. For now, we're enjoying life to the fullest. I do have one big wish I'd like to share. It would be wonderful if our patient association Hematon and the UMC Utrecht embraced the benefits of training at Happy Bodies with the Milon circle. I also see a great opportunity here for OncoFITness. It would be a valuable addition for people who, like me, are looking for ways to improve their strength and fitness during or after their medical treatment. This training not only improves your physical health but also has a positive impact on your overall well-being and quality of life.
Want to know more about how to exercise effectively by training twice for 35 minutes every ten days, under the guidance of your own personal lifestyle coach? Then take the membership test and sign up for a free personal introductory meeting and tour of the club. We bet you'll be sold right away!
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