Valuable Victory Over Breast Cancer... Dongnamwon Nuclear Medicine Hospital Patient Wins 1st Place in Fitness Competition

59-Year-Old Park Hyang-ja "Hope for Patients"

Park Hyang-ja (59), who was treated for breast cancer at the Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences (Director Lee Chang-hoon), overcame the aftereffects of chemotherapy and challenged herself in a fitness competition, winning an award.

Park is a cancer survivor who was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2016 at the Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences and successfully treated. After hearing about a friend’s breast cancer surgery, she performed a self-examination just in case and found a lump, prompting her to visit the hospital immediately, where cancer was detected.

She recalled, “When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I resented the world, wondering why this was happening to me. But I gained confidence that I could overcome it by accepting cancer positively.”

She continued, “After exercising for two years, I asked my fitness instructor if I could participate in a fitness competition. The doctor said it was fine if my physician approved. When I asked my attending physician, Chief Lee On-bok, he encouraged me, saying it was a good challenge, so I started preparing for the competition.”

Valuable Victory Over Breast Cancer... Dongnamwon Nuclear Medicine Hospital Patient Wins 1st Place in Fitness Competition

Ms. Park Hyang-ja.

After surgery, eight rounds of chemotherapy, and 33 sessions of radiation therapy, she suffered severe swelling and joint pain that made walking difficult as aftereffects. Hearing that strengthening the muscles around the joints would help, she began strength training at a nearby health club. Exercising daily from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., her joint pain improved, and her long-standing insomnia disappeared.

While preparing for the competition, there were times when she was so exhausted that she cried in a corner. Each time, she steadied her mind with the thought that she had to work hard and set an example for cancer patients. She won 2nd place in the PCA Gyeongnam Bikini category in 2022 and 1st place in the WNC Busan Bikini Senior category in 2023.

Park said, “Exercise is what helped me endure the difficult times. If I hadn’t been sick, I wouldn’t have taken on this challenge. I was originally very introverted, quiet, and patient, but I wanted to live my life completely differently. I felt confident and incredibly happy because I realized I didn’t have to keep everything bottled up in my chest.”

She added, addressing patients still fighting cancer, “Even if it’s hard, I hope you get up and exercise. Also, during treatment, don’t listen too much to external information; I want to urge you to trust 100% the hospital and doctors you have chosen.”

Chief Lee On-bok of the Breast Disease Surgery Department explained, “About 60% of patients who undergo breast cancer surgery experience reduced shoulder joint mobility and muscle loss in the arm. Rehabilitation exercises after surgery help patients recover physical function, build strength and immunity, and improve fatigue, depression, and insomnia, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of cancer treatment.”

He added, “Strength training is also good for preventing osteoporosis, one of the aftereffects of breast cancer treatment, and stretching or yoga helps reduce pain and loosen swelling and stiff muscles. However, it is best not to overdo it and to choose appropriate exercises according to your physical condition, so I recommend consulting your attending physician first.”