CrossFit
In 1998, 36-year-old Ross Phillips was diagnosed with acute leukemia. After two years of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, his cancer went into remission. When it returned nine years later, Phillips was fortunate enough to receive a bone-marrow transplant, which enabled the father of three to survive.
When he was subsequently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he didn’t feel 100 percent cognitively and was forced to retire from his job.
Phillips received treatment to mask his physical symptoms but soon joined Crossfit 737 in Austin, Texas, as a way to stay active and meet new friends.
In the beginning, Phillips couldn’t move or balance on his own, according to CrossFit 737 owner and head coach Chris Bodman. But today Phillips, now in his mid-50s, is a dedicated member who runs, rows and lifts just like anyone else. He even golfs with Bodman each week.
“I’m sure when he had to step away from his job and change his life significantly, he was searching. He was searching for a place he could call his home, his community,” said Bodman’s wife, Denise, a coach at CrossFit 737.
To learn more about how you can become part of a global bone-marrow donor network, visit BetheMatch.org.
📹 by Elliot and Lindsay Schrock ... See more
