By Daybreak Bryant, @MyCarolinaLife.com
Maribeth Lamuraglia is understood for her trademark positivity and hospitality.
A longtime supervisor at Dagwood’s Deli and the South Carolina Hospitality Worker of the Yr in 2018, Lamuraglia is used to caring for others’ wants within the restaurant setting. That beneficiant nature extends to her buddies, family members and group members, serving as a go-to when somebody wants assist, help or inspiration.
However, in 2023, Lamuraglia discovered herself on the opposite facet. Identified with stage II clear cell carcinoma, she all of the sudden was on a journey that not solely took a toll on her physique but additionally on her uplifting spirit.
“All you hear is most cancers, after which you’re, like, numb,” Lamuraglia mentioned. “Now, we’re on a journey. It’s scary if you hear that. OK – what sort of journey? What’s occurring?”
The combat
Like every part else she’d confronted in her 51 years, Lamuraglia bravely battled along with her decided spirit via the surgical procedure to take away the expansion in her uterus that doubled in measurement in only a few months, the doctor appointments, the therapies. She trusted her Tidelands Well being care workforce, together with Dr. Betsy Adams, and benefited from the well being system’s affiliation with the MUSC Hollings Most cancers Community for specialty care.
“I keep constructive,” Lamuraglia mentioned. “You undergo. You combat. You do no matter it’s important to do to get via it. I saved transferring and going and doing the day-to-day.”
Buddies and family members supplied help each step of the way in which. The Dagwood’s workforce organized an elaborate fundraising occasion to assist with bills and remind her how a lot she’s liked.
However, ultimately, after making an attempt to energy via for greater than a yr, all of it simply turned an excessive amount of. Lamuraglia struggled to get via day-after-day, as may be widespread for these affected by most cancers.
“I obtained overwhelmed,” she mentioned. “I began feeling anxiousness and melancholy that I had by no means felt earlier than in my life.”
Livestrong
Lamuraglia turned to a nurse on her care workforce, who really helpful the Livestrong program. Designed for most cancers sufferers and survivors, the nationwide, evidence-based program via the Livestrong Basis is obtainable domestically via the YMCA of Coastal Carolina. Lamuraglia participated in this system on the Tidelands Well being Pawleys Household YMCA.
Tidelands Well being is the unique well being system associate of the YMCA of Coastal Carolina, together with Claire Chapin Epps Household YMCA in Myrtle Seaside, Tidelands Well being Pawleys Household YMCA and Tidelands Well being Georgetown Household YMCA.
“I mentioned, what, I’m going to provide it a shot,” Lamuraglia remembers. “I would like, for me, to carve out outing of your life for simply you. And that’s exhausting for me or lots of people. It’s very troublesome.”
Livestrong is a free, 12-week, small-group program catering to survivors’ distinctive bodily and psychological wants. Contributors attend two 75- to 90-minute periods per week led by licensed instructors.
Lamuraglia instantly added all these session dates to her calendar, that decided spirit reignited as she carved out much-needed time to concentrate on her total therapeutic – physique and thoughts.
“OK, I’m going to do that,” she remembers considering on the time. “Simply by being with these of us – who’ve now turn out to be my Livestrong household – you assist one another. You discuss to one another. Livestrong offered me assist. It additionally helps you notice that you are able to do it.”
Getting stronger
With the camaraderie of the group, Lamuraglia was inspired and pushed herself to get stronger. Classes embrace cardiovascular conditioning, energy coaching, steadiness and adaptability workouts to get the muscle tissue transferring.
Contributors, who’re often referred by a member of their care workforce, endure health and quality-of-life assessments in the beginning and finish of this system to allow them to see how far they’ve come.
And so they really feel their progress, too — instantly reminded of how a lot farther they will stroll or how far more weight they will raise than when this system began. Lamuraglia and her Livestrong companions celebrated these victories with spontaneous high-fives and fist bumps after finishing every station.
However it’s not the bodily enhancements that make the largest affect on contributors.
“Persons are enthusiastic about coming to class,” mentioned Tyler Wiggins, medical train coordinator and Livestrong-certified teacher on the YMCA of Coastal Carolina. “Being in a bunch setting sort of helps them open up somewhat bit and share their story. It’s additionally necessary to listen to different tales so you’ll be able to join with them. It’s the arrogance booster for positive.
“Day by day, I see them chiseling away at their outdated self and simply constructing themselves again as much as what they have been.”
She’s again
As is her ordinary nature, Lamuraglia turned her group’s social coordinator and largest cheerleader, creating a bunch textual content and often sending messages of inspiration and help – identical to those she had gotten from different Livestrong contributors, in addition to her loving household, buddies and Dagwood’s workforce members.
“You don’t wish to let down individuals who have lifted you up,” Lamuraglia mentioned. “You must assume, ‘What can I do?’ This has put me again into that way of thinking. What can I do? I can do that.”
Be taught extra concerning the Livestrong program on the YMCA of Coastal Carolina right here.
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