Breast Cancer: Tia's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

After breast cancer surgery, Tia developed significant stiffness in her left shoulder and swelling in her chest. The shoulder felt almost frozen, and after several unsuccessful attempts to find an explanation she learned that the symptoms could reflect early lymphedema. She had been given a compression bra but wanted to explore additional ways to protect her mobility and posture. Tia met with a clinical exercise physiologist at Dana-Farber, who introduced her to a structured strength-training plan designed to build capacity gradually and avoid injury. Weightlifting was new to Tia even though she had always been an active walker. She began lifting weights at home 3 times a week and added Qigong and Tai chi through Dana-Farber’s integrative therapies program. Over time, she felt stronger and found that moving more helped her feel better physically and emotionally. The routine supported the active life she wanted, including walking her dog, tending her vegetable garden, and keeping up with her children.