We can all appreciate how cancer has had an affect on us in one way or another. My sister died from breast cancer at the young age of 34. My husband’s mother and aunt both passed away from breast cancer and I’ve seen friends watch their loved ones battle lung, brain, breast, and cervical cancers. My father has battled prostate cancer and my sister-in-law is a 2-time breast cancer survivor. I’ve been fortunate to treat many survivors and address their wide range of symptoms experienced from lymphedema to cancer induced peripheral neuropathy to cancer related fatigue. It’s been shown that exercise is the number 1 combatting force in cancer related fatigue, which affects over 80% of cancer survivors.

Be the change you wish to see in the world.

Although I was born and raised in Virginia and have lived in Texas for most of my life, Louisiana feels like home. Rawhide, my husband of 10 years, grew up outside of Baton Rouge and can claim Cajun status, but I’ve been told no one has embraced this culture quicker and more appropriately than me. When I received my first cajun tattoo – a crawfish from the logo of my sister-in-law’s cookbook – it was meant to be that we would eventually move here. In 2019, Rawhide and I finally moved from Austin, Texas to Covington, Louisiana and have been loving every minute of it.

When completing the Doctorate of Physical Therapy program at Texas Tech University Health Science Center, there were a few classes that really opened my eyes to our role as physical therapists in the healthcare system today. We are at the forefront to help change lives for the better. When asked, now that “you have finished your DPT degree…what’s next!?” I realized I had the tools to “be the change” I wanted to see. When the COVID-19 crisis hit, I began to see things in a different light. What a better time to take advantage of this opportunity!

The Chinese translation of crisis is “danger” and “opportunity”

I always reminisce about my patients, because they are all my favorites. I am who I am because of each and every person come across in my 12 year career. I talk about how the best goal I have ever written was for a woman in her 30s to perform a handstand. She had lymphedema and adhesive capsulitis after a mastectomy and lymph node removal. A decade later I was telling this to a patient in her 70s who wanted me to teach her how to do a handstand and she told me she was a two time breast cancer survivor.

So, I stepped out of my comfort zone and began researching ways to make this happen. With the support of my husband and my friends…

Geaux Fight Physical Therapy was put into fruition.

Peace and Love y’all,
Gin