Conquering Cancer with a Little Unexpected Help

Erica Broussard enjoyed a beautiful life. She was happily married with a beautiful son, and she enjoyed living a life free of any major health concerns. That all changed in September of 2014 when her entire life was flipped upside down. What began as slightly abnormal exhaustion and abdominal pain turned into a life-changing diagnosis that rocked Erica and her family’s world.

After pushing the symptoms aside for months, in May of 2015 she could no longer take it. A trip to the emergency room and one CT scan later showed a softball-sized mass in her abdomen. The discovery of the mass led Erica to a diagnosis of Stage 3 Low-Grade Ovarian Cancer. She went from planning her son’s third birthday to planning her funeral in a matter of weeks.

When Anytime Fitness in Destrehan, Louisiana learned of Erica’s story—they sprang into action and held a Zumbathon and Ride-a-Thon in her name to raise money as Erica battled cancer and fought for her life. Erica was shocked and overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, especially because she wasn’t a member of their gym. That didn’t matter to the community at Anytime Fitness Destrehan, they continued to cheer her on and take some of the financial burden off the Broussard family as Erica finished her final chemotherapy treatments. She was so touched by their generosity, she vowed that if she beat cancer—she would become a member and gain her strength back at Anytime Fitness.

After beating cancer, a miracle unto itself, Erica was ready to get moving in the gym. She was eager to gain her strength back, but at the same time she knew she couldn’t do it alone. It was a full-circle moment when Erica was able to walk into the Anytime Fitness that played such a vital role in her journey to beat cancer—to become a member herself. Erica had one goal in particular: to play with her son again. She joined Small Group Training and was hooked after her first session! She also began working with Coach Daniell Nielsen Jenkins, and gained back the strength that was lost due to her cancer. After two years at Anytime Fitness, Erica has lost an incredible 25lbs and has gained the strength she needed to live her life to the fullest once again. She says, “I cannot thank my Anytime Fitness Destrehan family and [Coach] Daniell enough for helping me, encouraging me and giving me the tools I need to be the healthiest version of myself.” Erica is a true inspiration.