JOHN'S STORY
John Koerner was first diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) in 1997 and had his first kidney surgically removed in that year. John has undergone multiple surgeries due to the tumors. This cancer cannot be cured, but can be managed with the chemo. He is now insulin-dependent diabetic because of having no pancreas, and has issues with nutrition and nutrient absorption because of the lack of pancreatic enzymes and the loss of the duodenum, but he’s getting better at managing these issues.
After learning that he has metastatic cancer, he used to go around feeling sorry for himself, asking God: Why me? But now, John feels blessed by God to have had as many good years as he has had. One hears all the time about people who get diagnosed with cancer, and they are gone in a relatively short period of time. John believes that God is walking with him and that He will continue to bless his wife, Cindy, and him.
About 4-5 years ago, John started going to the Y. He has been going almost daily for the past 2-3 years. He initially joined to try to get into a little better condition to be able to withstand and recover from the cancer surgeries he was having. He now looks forward to attending and exercising on a regular basis. It has been good for him physically and mentally. The benefits of regular exercise on physical health and well being are well documented, but John also finds the Y programs to be helpful for mental and emotional health as well. The stress of regularly sitting in a plastic-covered recliner in the chemo suite with chemicals dripping into your arm, or sitting in the oncologist’s office wringing your hands, waiting for the doctor to tell you the results of a recent CT scan can be overwhelming.
Pictured above are John Koerner, Cody & Wyatt Kiesz (John & Cindy's God children), and Cindy Koerner (John's wife).
John believes that regular exercise helps him deal with the stress in his life. But going to the Y is more than that. He has made many new friends who care for and about him. They regularly inquire about how he’s doing and tell him that they are continuing to pray for him. It means a lot for someone to look you in the eye and say with a sincere tone that they are praying for you.
The Y is a place of comfort and solace for John. The Y represents a strong support function for him after his wife and three pet companions at home; his faith in God and attending church regularly, and other family and friends.
The experiences John gains at the Y have helped him through some tough times with his health issues, because he knows that the people he sees there (staff and other Y-goers) truly care about him, supporting and encouraging him and praying for him on a regular basis. The Y is definitely more than just a place to go for exercise for John Koerner.
WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU JOHN! KEEP UP ALL YOUR HARD WORK!
UPCOMING EVENT:
BULL RUN 2014
Registration is going on now for the 13th Annual
BULL RUN, Saturday, July 26th. Events include ½ Marathon, 10K, 5K, Fun Walk & Munchkin Run. We will be featuring chip timing again by Pickle Events. First event begins at 7:00am.
TO REGISTER OR LEARN MORE, CLICK HERE!
A HUGE
THANK YOU
We would like to thank everyone who participated, donated, and volunteered for the 2nd Annual Reach and Rise Youth Mentoring Fishing Tournament! A special thank you to our sponsors: Domino's, Flatlanders, Walmart, Angelhaus, Ken's Superfair Foods, Shopko, Qdoba, and South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks! To view more photos of the event,
CLICK HERE.
THANKS AGAIN FOR MAKING THIS YEAR A SUCCESS!
YOGA WORKSHOP
Join us for a three day workshop led by William "Doc" Savage. This workshop will explore Health of the Spine; Health of the Upper Back, Shoulders, and Arms; Health of the Lower Back, Hips, and Legs; Health of the Heart, Mind and Breath. For more information view our flyer,
HERE.
DATES:
August 8 | 7pm-9pm
Health of the Spine
August 9 | 9am-12pm
Health of the Upper Back, Shoulders, and Arms
August 9 | 2pm-5pm
Health of the Lower Back, Hips, and Legs
August 10 | 1pm-3pm
Health of the Heart, Mind, and Breath
COST:
Early Bird | $25 per class | $80 for entire event
After August 1 | $30 per class | $100 for entire event
Please register
online or stop into the Y.
WORTH A
THOUSAND WORDS
Almost 20 fourth through sixth graders participated in the Strength and Skill Camp the week of June 23. The camp consisted of skill development, basketball specific instruction, strength & conditioning, games, agility, and lots more! To view more photos,
CLICK HERE.
