Yoga and breast cancer go hand-in-hand

Darcie Vugrinovich, who practices yoga at Flow Yoga Center and Tranquil Space, is excited about meeting you at Freedom Plaza on October 16 for Yoga on the Steps®: Washington, DC. Here’s why!

I'm joining LBBC for Yoga on the Steps®: Washington, DC because yoga and breast cancer go hand-in-hand for me. That may sound like an odd statement, but I began practicing yoga right before I was diagnosed with late staged breast cancer. I was only 28 years old. I largely credit my ability to cope with the ups and downs that come with breast cancer (and life in general) to my yoga practice.



Like many people, I began practicing yoga as a form of exercise, but noticed somewhere along the way that yoga is so much more than practicing asanas (postures) to get physically fit - although that's one of its many benefits. Many breast cancer treatments can cause weight gain, but I have lost a few pounds and hopefully gained a little muscle, too. I love that yoga is accessible to people of all abilities, ages, and religious backgrounds. If you can breathe, then you can do yoga. Seriously.


I have brought my bald-headed, over-heated (gotta love those hot flashes), fatigued-self to the yoga mat. I think to myself, "What am I doing here?" But, even on days when it was painful for me to lie flat on my back in shavasana, I have always left my yoga mat feeling a little bit more collected, more energized, and more at peace than when I came. I have joyfully witnessed my body's ability to evolve, as I stood in headstand for the first time or simply rediscovered the challenges of a seemingly simplistic pose.


Yoga has allowed me to focus on the present moment, letting go of the ‘whys’: Why didn't I catch my breast cancer sooner? I'm no longer quite as anxious as I await the results of my latest medical test, which has been no small task for someone who literally stalks the radiology department after every scan.


I'm joining LBBC for Yoga on the Steps because I want everyone to have the opportunity to experience the joy of yoga, particularly women who have been personally affected by breast cancer. If you've never tried yoga before, you may be hesitant to begin. Acknowledge that thought and then join us anyway. I look forward to meeting you there.


Namaste.

To register for Yoga on the Steps: Washington, DC, please visit www.yogaonthesteps.org. You can participate as an individual or as part of a fundraising team. Make a donation to Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s team if you don’t want to physically participate! Funds raised at Yoga on the Steps go directly toward education and support programs for women and families affected by breast cancer.