When prostate cancer survivor Kevin Randle received a Quilt of Valor honoring his military service, he expected the ceremony to be meaningful. What he didn’t expect was to look out and see so many familiar faces from another important chapter of his life.
Among those gathered to honor Randle that day were fellow cancer survivors from the Tai Chi class at the Nassif Community Cancer Center. They weren’t there because they had to be. They were there because, over time, the group has become more than a class. They’ve become friends.
“It was a special moment and suggested a bond that had developed among us from the Tai Chi class,” Randle says. “It made that special moment even more special.”
Finding strength and connection
For Randle, the journey to the Nassif Community Cancer Center began with his prostate cancer diagnosis. After years of monitoring, he learned he had cancer and began treatment immediately. He underwent surgery, chemotherapy and now takes maintenance medication.
During a tour of the cancer center’s services, the Tai Chi class caught his attention.
“I thought that was something I would be interested in,” he says.
After completing chemotherapy, Randle attended a class to see what it was like and quickly became a regular attendee. Tai Chi helped him rebuild strength and improve his balance. But over time, the people became just as important as the practice itself.
“I live alone,” Randle says. “The class is about the only time that I get out and into an environment where I can interact with others who have dealt with similar situations.”
The members of the class have different backgrounds and different cancer experiences, but they share an understanding of what it means to navigate the disease.
“We all have been through the journey, and I feel comfortable with the group,” Randle says. “They are all good people, and I look forward to the class, not only for the training but for the time with such a diverse group.”
Where cancer survivors find community
That sense of belonging is exactly what the Nassif Community Cancer Center hopes to create through its survivorship programs, says Matt Schmitz, manager and cancer exercise specialist.
For many patients, cancer can disrupt the routines and relationships that once made life feel normal. Survivorship programs offer a place where patients can focus on themselves, connect with others and regain confidence.
“People aren’t there to just talk about cancer. They’re there to exercise and connect with each other,” Schmitz says. “It helps patients get back to a new normal.”
The relationships extend beyond the walls of the cancer center. Participants arrive early to visit with one another, make plans to have lunch and notice when someone who normally attends class suddenly stops coming.
“Without their diagnoses, without the cancer center, a lot of these patients probably wouldn’t know each other, but now they’ve made lifelong friendships,” Schmitz says. “Things happen outside of these walls, but the connection starts here.”
A special moment, shared with friends
For Randle, that connection was evident during his Quilt of Valor ceremony.
A Quilt of Valor is presented to a veteran to honor their service. Kevin had initially been hesitant to accept one, but Annette Rink, a fellow survivor and Tai Chi participant who is a strong supporter of and volunteer with Quilts of Valor at their Lindale Mall location, encouraged him to complete the application.
When Rink learned Randle would be receiving his quilt and planned to attend the ceremony alone, she immediately thought of their Tai Chi classmates. For her, being there was a way to honor Kevin as a veteran and support him as a friend.
“I knew immediately that I needed to let the group know, so that those who could attend would be there,” Rink says. “I sent out a text and the responses were immediate.”
“I think it does say that we all share a bond as cancer survivors,” Randle says. “It was wonderful that they came out on a Sunday afternoon to witness the ceremony.”
More than exercise
That support is part of what makes survivorship programs at the Nassif Community Cancer Center about more than exercise, Schmitz says. The physical activity can help patients rebuild strength, but relationships can help them regain confidence and feel less alone.
“Exercise has always been something that somebody is doing for themselves to make themselves better,” he says. “And that exercise leads to relationships. So not only is it physical, but it’s social and emotional.”
For Randle, the Tai Chi class has become a place where he can continue moving forward alongside people who understand the journey. For the entire group, it has become a community where people show up for one another.
“I think it shows we are a group of people who are friends and who will be there to support each other any way we can,” Rink says.
That community is open to anyone who is ready to take the first step.
“The hardest step is the first one through the door,” she continues. “But that first step brings you into a room of friends. The teachers and people taking the classes want you to succeed and will do everything they can to help you.”
Find Your Community at the Nassif Community Cancer Center
The Nassif Community Cancer Center has a wide range of survivorship services available to all cancer patients and survivors, regardless of when or where they were treated. From open gym and Tai Chi to nutrition counseling and family events and so much more, there is something for everyone. To learn more visit communitycancercenter.org/survivorship or call (319) 558-4876 to find the program that’s right for you.
