When Sue Tobias joined the BfitBWell program at the CU Anschutz Health and Wellness Center (AHWC), she was looking for a way to stay active during cancer treatment. The program provided expert guidance and structure, helping her exercise safely and build strength. But what truly kept her coming back was the center itself, a place where she felt comfortable, supported, and at ease.
While going through an intense chemotherapy protocol, each day brought new challenges. The side effects made even simple movements difficult, but Sue found a space where she could keep moving safely. “Getting a workout in was critical for me,” she says. “The center became my safe space…it gave me a sense of normalcy during a very stressful time.”
For Sue, normalcy meant walking into a clean, well-equipped gym with staff she could rely on. “This fitness center is one of the nicest I’ve ever belonged to, and I’m a former trainer,” she says. “It’s clean, well-staffed, and just a very pleasant place to work out.” She continued her wellness journey at AHWC even after BfitBWell ended, using the Fitness Center as a place to rebuild strength and stamina at her own pace.
Now that chemotherapy is behind her, Sue is noticing steady progress. Each week she can do a little more; a few extra minutes on the treadmill, a bit more weight in her strength routine. “I feel some satisfaction as I’m able to increase duration and intensity of my workouts as I recover,” she says.
Her steady improvements are showing up not just in the gym, but in her everyday life. After months of focusing on recovery, Sue is back to hiking again — a sign of how far she’s come. As she puts it, “I look forward to building stamina and balance, enjoy skiing this coming season, and, most importantly, feel fully recovered.”
Sue’s journey is a reminder that wellness isn’t always about dramatic transformation. Sometimes it’s about holding on to a sense of normal, rebuilding little by little, and finding joy in moving forward.
