Blogs > Nancy’s story: Healing through movement amid breast cancer challenges | BeACTive

Nancy’s story: Healing through movement amid breast cancer challenges | BeACTive

Nancy, a dance and movement psychotherapist, thrives through movement and exercise, navigating difficult emotions in the face of a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis.

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Nancy's life has been a continuous dance, from her days as a professional dancer and actor to her transition into a dance and movement psychotherapist. Physical expression has always been her outlet, even in the face of challenges.

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Moving through breast cancer challenges

In 2013, Nancy faced her first diagnosis with early-stage breast cancer. Five years later, lymphedema became part of her story, impacting her mobility and stamina. Then, in 2020, a recurrence led to a stage IV metastatic breast cancer diagnosis. Despite these obstacles, Nancy refuses to let cancer define her. Instead, she turns to her lifelong passion—movement—as a powerful tool for healing and coping. She says, “When I feel like I'm upset, or I'm really sad . . . I will move it out. I'll dance it out. I find it to be extremely helpful in this journey.”

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Embracing authenticity

Nancy's advice to others is simple yet profound.

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Nancy sits in a chemo infusion chair

Start where you are. That's the most important thing. Don't compare yourself to anybody else. Don't think . . . I might look funny. This is for you. This is for your healing.

Nancy

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Nancy's Playlist

Discover Nancy's uplifting Spotify playlist, where each beat, from Dawn Tallman's 'For Me' to Burna Boy's 'Last Last' and the timeless Mary J. Blige, echoes her resilience and joy. These songs will guide you through movement, proving that even in life's challenges, we can find our rhythm and dance our way to a place that's 'Just Fine.'

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Let's BeACTive together!

Join Nancy and the other participants in our new, 3-week exercise series featuring 9 workouts of about 20 minutes each and designed especially for people who are going through or recovering from treatment, preparing for surgeries, or regaining mobility after surgery.

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Additional resources

Join Nancy at LBBC’s Thriving Together: 2024 Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer on Fri., Apr. 19, 2024 to Sun., Apr. 21, 2024

Learn more about Living with metastatic breast cancer

Watch the recorded webinar, Radical self-care: Body, mind & soul

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About this page
Glossary
About LBBC

Nancy Herard-Marshall*

Nancy Herard-Marshall headshot

 

* deceased, 2024

Adriana Lecuona, MFA

  • Has worked at LBBC since 2022
  • Was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2008
  • Enjoys writing, movie-going, long walks, Asian food, and delights in any time spent with her son

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Living Beyond Breast Cancer is a national nonprofit organization that seeks to create a world that understands there is more than one way to have breast cancer. To fulfill its mission of providing trusted information and a community of support to those impacted by the disease, Living Beyond Breast Cancer offers on-demand emotional, practical, and evidence-based content. For over 30 years, the organization has remained committed to creating a culture of acceptance — where sharing the diversity of the lived experience of breast cancer fosters self-advocacy and hope. For more information, learn more about our programs and services.