Tabitha Fentress
In 2017, we watched as one of our own "entered into the ring with cancer." Although it has worn her out, made her feel horrible, and, at times, "knocked her down", it has never knocked her out. This week, we highlight Tabitha Fentress as she celebrates the completion of her battle rounds with chemo. When asked how she kept motivated, how she did it, and what she has gained, she responded- "My motivation was hard to find at times during my treatments. I had several days where I wanted to give up. It never failed on those days that I would receive a text or card asking how I was doing & give me words of encouragement & love. I had strangers stop me & tell me their experience with cancer & how they hoped I had a good outcome. I found motivation in these texts, cards, testimonies of strangers & most of all I wasn’t going to be beat by this disease. I kept coaching because I needed to keep my life as normal as I could. I love teaching/coaching. It’s what I’m most passionate about. I’m still learning what it takes to become that teacher or coach that everyone can count on. My oncologist telling me I wouldn’t be able to teach for a while was harder to take than him telling me I had cancer. What keeps me going on my hard days? That question is a tough one because sometimes I’m not sure myself. I do know it’s the love & strength of the prayers that have kept me going. I have never asked “why me” but how did this happen & how do I get rid of it. God has brought me through some pretty difficult times in my life & this time I needed Him more than I ever have before. His strength has pulled me through 12 chemo treatments that I wasn’t sure I was going to live through. I have to say my husband has pulled me through those bad days as well. We had just been married a little over a month when I was diagnosed & he jumped in right away taking care of everything. What have I gained through my cancer journey? I believe everything happens for a reason. Some days I struggle with what that reason may be. I know I’m even more passionate about helping people get healthy & stay healthy. I’ve been asked “how in the world did you get cancer you’re in such good shape”. Well, cancer does not discriminate; It does what it wants, when it wants, and to whom it wants. I know that being healthy at the time of my diagnosis has helped in my treatments & my overall outcome of beating this disease. I asked my doctor how long will it take for me to feel like I’m “normal” again. He said the average person 6-12 months, but me probably a month. I’m sure it will take longer than that, but you can count on me being back in the gym working my tail off to regain my cardiovascular endurance & muscular strength again. Cancer doesn’t define who I am, it was just a setback in my life. One day in the near future it will be a memory of just how tough I can be. I look forward to adding cancer survivor to my list of accomplishments!!!"