CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE September/October 2020 | Page 29

Erin: Cancer, surgery, chemo and all that went with that, took a huge toll on my physical strength.
I was weak and tired all the time. Not to mention incredibly nauseous for days after each chemo.
But I knew that I wanted to be back on stage one day, so I kept
going. I knew that if I gave up completely, that it would make my
‘comeback’ even harder. Beside that, the gym was my safe place.
It was the one place that I felt like ME. Bald and heavier, but still
ME. And no one judged me. I could forget for just a while that I had
cancer.
Juan: The words of a warrior. What was your biggest motivation to
keep fighting everyday to overcome this battle?
Erin: My son was my motivation. He looked at me like a hero. He
saw me as fighting the same battle that Terry Fox fought. I needed
to show him that anything is possible.
Juan: How did it feel to step on stage again after having won that
battle with cancer?
Erin: I can hardly put it into words. It is and I suspect it will always
be my biggest accomplishment. I was proud, I was emotional, and
I was unstoppable. They actually played the above video at my
comeback show.
Juan: How do you feel going through this experience made you a
better person and competitor?
Erin: Today, after all of my experience with cancer, I am incredibly
grateful for my health. I will never take it for granted again. I
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