KOHLER (NBC 26) — A cancer survivor who was given 14 months to live is now celebrating 20 years cancer-free and helping other survivors find healing through yoga.
Carrie Green leads yoga classes at Yoga on the Lake in Kohler, where participants call the sessions "magic." At 32 years old, Green was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
"A 14-month life expectancy was the diagnosis. I was still nursing our youngest daughter at the time," Green said.
As a young mother of two, Green carried herself through treatment with a mantra of strength.
"I also need to show my girls what you do when life gets hard. You know, keep going - one foot in front of the other," Green said.
Yoga became an integral part of her healing journey. Green even called her oncologist to ask if it was safe to do headstands after her tumor removal surgery.
Now, she shares yoga's benefits with others who have walked similar paths, including Tom Strojinc, who was initially skeptical about the practice.
"I thought, 'This is stupid.' I didn't like it. It was weird. I couldn't get into the positions," Strojinc said.
After receiving a diagnosis for aggressive prostate cancer seven years ago, Strojinc eventually opened himself up to support groups.
He's now a member of the Livestrong group at the Sheboygan YMCA, where the mission is to live your best life and keep moving. That's where he met Green.
"They've been there, lying in bed at 3 in the morning, staring at the ceiling, wondering what the outcome is going to be," Strojinc said. "She has been an inspiration to me since then."
Green is celebrating 20 years cancer-free this year. On Wednesday, she'll help lead an annual cancer awareness event.
She, along with two other cancer-surviving instructors, will host group three fitness classes that attendees can choose from at 5:30 p.m. at the Kohler studios: All-Levels Vinyasa Yoga, Soul Sculpt Hot, and Bold Cycle Ride.
Watch: Sheboygan cancer survivor given 14 months to live celebrates 20 years cancer-free
There is a $15 donation fee, which will benefit the Sheboygan County Cancer Care Fund, an organization that supports local families fighting cancer.
"It's the loss, it's the grief. It's the joy, it's a celebration, and it's really just being in a moment in time, being present together in a space...and moving our bodies," Green said.
Green ends each of her classes with a message she's followed for the last two decades: "May you find strength and grace in every breath."
Wednesday's event is also the namesake of this message.
Green hopes others will find solace in this resilient community of survivors.
