GA0509_20_23_NancyODell.qxp:GA03_xx_xxFeature 4/22/09 2:25 PM Page 22
Nancytakeshusband
KeithZubchevicand
stepsonTylertoanother
dayattheoffice.
heretoansweranyandallquestions,towalk
youthroughthis.”
Yousoneedthatwhenyougetadiagnosis
thatyou’reunfamiliarwith.Youhavenoclue
andyouhavesomanyquestions.You’reat
acompleteloss.AndtheywereourNo.1
resource.Theyhookyouupwithotherfamilies
thataregoingthroughthesamething.Ican’t
sayenoughaboutthem.SoIsaid,“Whatever
youneedmefor,Iamthereforyou.”
GA: MDA connected you with fitness industry
giant Augie Nieto. What can you share about
your involvement with him?
NO: He’sdoneanamazingjob.Imethim
throughMDA.Isawhimonthe“Today”
showandreadhisbook[Augie’s Quest]
rightaftermymomwasdiagnosed.And
IknewthatheandMDAwerepioneersand
wereuponthelatesttechnologyand
research.SoIaskedthroughMDAifthey
“Aftershe
Get Active: How is your recovery going? Do you couldputmeintouchwithhim.Istarted
[Mother]
expect to run — and dance — again soon. e-mailingbackandforthwithhiswife,
Nancy O’Dell:Myrecoveryisgoingwell.Ihad Lynne,andthenAugie.
passedaway,
surgeryforthetwotearsinthemeniscusof
mykneeonMarch20.Thedoctorsaidmy GA: What makes Augie’s experience with ALS
Iwantedtofeel
meniscuswas“shredded”—thatIhadreally so special?
donesomedamagetoit.Thedoctorssaythat NO: He’sthemostpositivepersonI’veever
goodagain,”
aboutsixweeksaftersurgeryandrehab,my met.Hesaidhe’sneverbeenhappierinhis
saysO’Dell.“I
kneewillbecompletelybacktonormal.I’m lifebecausehefeltlikehewashelpingso
tryingtomakesureI’mreallyorganizedand manypeople.Whatanamazingstatement
startedrunning.
prioritizing,andhaveplentyoftimetospend tomake—hereyouarewiththisrapidlypro-
withmyfamily,too,becausethat’sinstru- gressive,fataldiseaseandyou’resayingyou’ve
Istartedtofeel
mentaltoyourmentalhealth,that’sforsure. neverbeenhappierinyourlifebecauseyou’re
helpingsomanyotherpeople.Iwasso
reallygood;the
GA: The last two years have seen profound honoredtohosttheAugie’sQuestBashthis
weightstarted
changes in your life, with the birth of your yearforMDA.
daughter and, sadly, the loss of your mother to
comingoff.It
ALS. You’re on a personal mission in your work GA: What do Augie’s story and ongoing ALS
with MDA and their ALS division. Tell us how genetic research tell us?
helpedliftmy
you came to give back to MDA. NO:WhathisstorytellsabouthimisthatALS
Sjodin
NO: I’mveryinvolvedwithMDA now.I’mso canstrikeanybody.There’sastrongneedfor
aig
mood....”
/
Cr
gladthatImetthem.IwishInever had to peopletolearnmoreaboutitbecauseit
ABC
meetthem.Ifoundoutaboutthembecause seemsmorearecomingdownwithit,Ithink
ofmymom.She’dgoneforaboutayear becauseofalltheenvironmentaltoxinsout
page:
[undiagnosed],andhervoicewasgone.We’d there.Theremaybesomethinginyourbody
evious
takenherfromdoctortodoctortryingtofig- thatmakesyoupredisposed—maybe
P
r
ureoutwhatwasgoingon.Theynevercould becauseofmymom’sgeneticmakeupshewas
Images.
diagnoseher,andshekeptcomingouthere vulnerablebutmydadwasn’t.Iftheycanfind ty
fromSouthCarolina.Sowesaidthatmaybe therootcauseofit,usuallythat’sawaytofind
Get
e/
sheshouldseeaneurologist.Shewasdiag- acure.Sothat’swhatMDAistryingtodo.
nosedatUCLAattheMDAclinic.
DeGuir
Theminuteshewasdiagnosed…arepre- GA: What did your mom’s life and her struggle
egg
Gr
sentativeofMDAwalkedinandsaid,“We’re with ALS teach you about living with purpose?
t
o:
Pho
22 IHRSA | www.healthclubs.com
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