Community

MY Sports Club Story: Dawn

Sep 27, 2024

Meet Dawn, a member at E 91st Street who has found strength both mentally and physically through fitness. Dawn has been a member at E 91st St for 20 years and has found community and inspiration at her local NYSC to keep her going through some of life's toughest battles. Faced with multiple health issues over the course of her life, she has turned to NYSC to build strength and resilience. Read more about Dawn's inspiring fitness journey and how working out at NYSC has powered her perseverance. 

Tell us about your fitness journey.
From an early age, fitness has been a very important part of my life. I’ve always been athletic and was involved in organized and casual sports growing up. When I turned 18, I joined a franchised gym in Brooklyn, NY, and discovered that I really enjoyed working out on the machines and thoroughly enjoyed the gym environment overall. When I went to college, I spent a lot of time in the weight room. I began to learn about different routines to improve my physical health through strength training. I also realized that working out helped reduce any stress I felt during the day. I had a traumatic childhood and discovered that the gym was the best medicine to help heal the scars. After graduating college, I became very ill and was diagnosed with severe Crohn’s Disease. It was chronic and debilitating and for the next 30 years I lived on a roller coaster ride with constant flare ups with brief remissions in between. The gym, along with a careful diet, were instrumental in helping to manage my illness.

What do you love about working out at NYSC?
Convenience, comfort, and camaraderie are the main reasons I have enjoyed working out at NYSC for the last 20 or so years. I am a creature of habit. The club is literally one block away from my apartment. It’s a bit like my home away from home. Reminds me of the old sitcom Cheers, when they say, “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.”

How does working out at NYSC improve tasks in your daily life?
Working out at the gym helps me function optimally, both mentally and physically. With strength comes confidence and clarity. For 30+ years I have lived with severe Crohn’s Disease. My healthy diet and my workouts at NYSC provide me with the strength to work through my health issues. The gym provides the means to improve my strength which helps me to perform the necessary tasks to train many diverse clients. Even simple tasks like bending to pick up a pencil or carrying groceries are much easier because of my workouts at NYSC.

Do you have any workout milestones that you are proud of?
I am 57 years old and have had serious health issues since childhood. I’ve had countless hospital stays; serious medical procedures; had to take powerful meds with side effects; two near-death experiences; cancer of the uterus and colon; the latter ending in a major operation that would leave me wearing a permanent ostomy bag. Through it all, I had one milestone that I wanted to achieve – I wanted to live. I did it. I beat cancer. I went from hospital bed to personal trainer. I could not be more proud of what I achieved. I was motivated to get back to doing what I love, and NYSC was an integral part of that journey.

Any goals that NYSC has helped you reach?
NYSC helped me reach my goal of trying to regain health all throughout the years. Every time I had a setback I would head to NYSC and start to rebuild my body and mind. It was always such a major challenge that I had to overcome. I have achieved my goal of good health, and I continue to reap the benefits of a good workout in NYSC.

How do you stay motivated?
I have always been self motivated. Working out is very natural and organic for me. I truly look forward to my workouts; they are never a chore. Technically, we are all a work in progress, both mentally and physically. For me, the gym provides many of the tools required to maintain and improve one's health. There is something magical about increasing strength, balance, cardio endurance, and all the other benefits that come from a good workout.

Anything else you would like to add?
I enjoy working out and socializing with friends in a welcoming environment. To those considering going down the path of good health, I recommend taking a walk to the NYSC nearest to you and start the process of taking your health to a whole new level.

Do you have a story about how our Club has helped improve life outside our Club? Submit your MY Sports Club Story here.