Sharon’S Inspirational Journeying Amongst Crossfit Inward The Struggle Against Huntington’S Illness

With her indomitable spirit Sharon Shaffer has non given upwardly the struggle against Huntington’s disease, despite a decade of struggling alongside symptoms that forced her to quit her undertaking together with halt driving, together with which hamper her might to speak.

On Dec 7, Sharon starred inwards her ain hard disk drive educational fundraiser, “Sharing Sharon’s CrossFit Journey” (#CureHuntingtons together with #SharingSharonsJourney). The resultant raised nearly $2,000 to back upwardly Sharon together with her family’s plans to concord a much larger fundraiser for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA).

More importantly, it gave several dozen participants together with onlookers inwards the CrossFit gym insight into Sharon’s practise of regular, intense job equally a strategy for slowing the inevitable progression of her untreatable condition.

“I believe that CrossFit has helped me bounce dorsum from major falls together with accidents that I convey had,” Sharon, assisted past times immature adult woman Alexa, said inwards a spoken communication earlier CrossFit trainers led her together with participants through a regimen of exercises. “Although my balance, swallowing, together with spoken communication are worsening, I am confident that without job my symptoms would move worse.”

You tin lookout Sharon tell of her struggles alongside hard disk drive together with her interest alongside CrossFit inwards the video below, alongside an introduction past times Lee Razalan, the possessor of Stay Classy CrossFit, the gym that sponsored the event.

A rigorous workout

The trainers at Stay Classy CrossFit, a fundamental San Diego outlet that is purpose of a national network of gyms, designed a computer programme for the Shaffers’ event. It was geared specifically for HD-affected individuals.

Along alongside the other participants, I jumped on a box, lifted weights, swung on a pull-up bar, together with did pushups together with squats.

We rotated amidst the 5 job stations every ninety seconds, moving through the entire sequence iii times over almost 17 minutes.

The #CureHuntingtons WOD (workout of the day) (photo past times Taylor Shaffer)

I constitute the workout really rigorous. Indeed, I had to halt several times to grab my breath.

Over the adjacent twain of days, my muscles felt considerably sore. But it was a expert soreness, the sort you lot larn from using neglected muscles. Today ane of my doctors gave me the go-ahead to stick alongside CrossFit, but solely equally long equally I don’t overdo it.

It occurred to me that hard disk drive people together with presymptomatic cistron carriers such equally I demand to a greater extent than events such equally this to assist us refocus on job together with holistic approaches to the disease.

For Sharon, CrossFit has non only served to attain her encephalon together with strengthen her muscles, but likewise linked her to a whole novel network of friends who literally back upwardly her equally she sometimes stumbles through the exercises.

In improver to Stay Classy Crossfit, the resultant received back upwardly from Lululemon and Sushi on a Roll.

You tin lookout the CrossFit participants, including me, inwards the videos below.

Racing Across America – again

The Shaffers lay on “Sharing Sharon’s CrossFit Journey” inwards training for their 4th participation inwards the Race Across America (RAAM), a coast-to-coast, non-stop wheel race from the pier inwards Oceanside, CA, to the boardwalk inwards Annapolis, MD. The Shaffers’ participation inwards the June 2015 resultant requires donations inwards sort together with funds to encompass such costs equally a motor dwelling line solid to accompany the riders.

The Shaffers’ “Team 2 Cure Huntington’s Disease” participated inwards RAAM inwards 2006, 2007, together with 2010, anchored past times Renato. He likewise led a squad inwards the Race Across the West inwards 2008.

These together with affiliated events such equally annual RAAM golf game tournaments convey raised to a greater extent than than $110,000 for HDSA. “Team 2 Cure HD” has likewise increased awareness almost hard disk drive across the nation.

In improver to Renato, the 2015 squad includes RAAM veterans John Sylvester together with Jason Tate together with newcomer Mikel Clementi. Their 2015 destination is to cyberspace $40,000 or more.

Renato Shaffer (photo past times Gene Veritas)

Inspiration

Renato together with his iii squad members convey completed past times RAAM events inwards less than x days. To telephone telephone RAAM grueling is a gross understatement, specially since Renato turns fifty today, Dec 9.

In their RAAM donation asking letter, the Shaffers line the race equally “both physically together with emotionally taxing” but that pales earlier “the realities that hard disk drive patients endure from on a daily basis. Over the past times x years our identify unit of measurement has changed drastically alongside the progression of Sharon’s symptoms. Nonetheless nosotros alive alongside purpose, promise together with gratitude. Our purpose is to shed lite on HD, to maintain realistic promise despite Sharon’s circumstances together with ever remain grateful for the selflessness of others who convey helped us.”

Renato, the RAAM squad members together with back upwardly staff, the extended Shaffer family, together with supporters together with friends of the hard disk drive drive line deep inspiration from Sharon.

“My destination […] is to endeavor to succeed at things that people would deem impossible given my condition,” said the 48-year-old Sharon, who has practiced CrossFit for 5 years. She believes that all HD-affected individuals tin honour an activeness or hobby for keeping active.

“Huntington’s does non define us,” she said. “It’s only some other fork inwards the road.”

At the determination of the CrossFit program, nosotros participants all gathered unopen to Sharon together with ane of the trainers equally he reflected on the purpose together with the lessons gained.

I touched Sharon’s shoulder. She together with her thoughtful resultant for hard disk drive families had motivated me to recommit to job together with good for you lot living equally I human face upwardly my ain inevitable onset. Once again, I acquired strength from my hard disk drive sister.

We all lay our arms inwards the middle of the circle. Then nosotros raised them equally nosotros cheered: “Cure Huntington’s!”

(Stay tuned to this weblog for updates on RAAM 2015 together with how you lot tin help. Scroll downwardly for other photos from Sharon's event. Photos past times Gene Veritas.)

Race Across America veteran together with 2015 repeat participant John Sylvester

2015 Race Across America initiate Mikel Clementi

Alexa (left) together with Taylor Shaffer

Sharon Shaffer together with woman parent Fran Walker

Andrew Herndon, coordinator of the HDSA Center of Excellence for Family Services together with Research at the University of California, San Diego

HD advocate together with back upwardly grouping fellow member Amy Anderson (left) together with hard disk drive back upwardly grouping facilitator Sandy Jerkins

Share this post