"Healing Through Yoga" by Lolitta Dandoy

Lolitta Dandoy

"You have breast cancer." That's what the doctor told me on the afternoon of March 2nd, 2010. In an instant my life changed, I had gone from being a perfectly healthy 29-year-old to having this terrible thing inside of me. I didn't react well; in fact I fainted in my fiancé's arms. After the initial shock, I managed to be well while waiting for the prognostic. I worked, laughed, went out, and actually didn't think about it too much. I have always been a very positive and smiley person, so I think this took over the rest.

The results were very long to come because the doctor wanted to send them to the US before he decided anything. Two months later, I finally learned that I was going to have radiotherapy. I was happy about that because it meant that I could still get married that
summer, which was the plan. So we finished our list and sent the invitations to our guests. The next day, I received a phone call telling me that my case was presented to the Royal Victoria tumor board and that some doctors thought it would be better if I underwent chemo, as well. I was devastated and couldn't believe it because everything was ready for my radiotherapy to start.

Two weeks before starting my treatments, someone from CanSupport told me that I could attend free yoga classes at HappyTree Yoga Studio and that it would be good for me. I started right away and I really liked it; it made me feel relaxed and happy. On July 9th, the hardest part of my life started. My first chemo went well, but 2 days later, I started feeling the real effects. That first week was awful. I couldn't eat, I couldn't walk and I couldn't even sit for more than 15 minutes. I was restless and at the same time, I didn't have the energy to do anything. The next week, things started to get better and
I started going back to HappyTree. At first, it really helped me breathe and relax, but there came a point where I became so depressed and negative that I even had a hard time going through the sessions. Fortunately, my family and my fiancé were always there to motivate me and get me to class. I was, and I am, so lucky to have them! From August to October, things were so bad that I had lost my smile and I didn't talk anymore. I, who had always been so positive, became depressed and negative.

Now that I look back, I have to say that yoga helped me a lot. The classes made me feel better and I met wonderful ladies going through similar ordeals as me. They were so nice! I also had the chance to meet Melanie, who gives amazing classes and has the most soothing voice. When I was feeling better, around October, I really started enjoying the classes again and I realized how important they were to me. Whenever I went to yoga, I felt relieved and reenergized. Other than the actual positions, one of the best things I learned was the guided relaxation and the breathing techniques. I finally understood what healing through yoga meant, and that's why I would love to attend one of Nischala Joy
Devi's workshops.

Thank you to CanSupport and HappyTree for bringing yoga into my life.

Lolitta