I began working with Pam shortly after I received a prostate cancer diagnosis from my oncologist. Part of my treatment for this condition included a hormone blockade that employed a Leuprolide injection. Well-known side effects of this drug include bone decalcification and loss of muscle mass. To minimize these effects my oncologist recommended that I work with a personal trainer on a resistance exercise routine. The challenge for a trainer was that I would be trying to regain and improve muscle mass without the benefit of testosterone for a 6-month period.

I have now been working with Pam for about 7 months on a 3-day-per-week schedule. Pam has kept notes on what exercises have been performed, how much weight was lifted and how many repetitions were performed. She is also careful to monitor my reaction to each exercise performed and any residual aches or pain that I might have when I return for the next session.

Weight lifting and related functional exercises have risks, but Pam has been careful to show me the correct movements that will enable me to complete an exercise without injury. I believe she has showed me at least one new exercise to perform in each session. I understand that this is an important argument for working with a knowledgeable personal trainer: repeating a small set of exercises does not deliver the same level of fitness as a routine with constant variation and new movements.

The work with Pam has definitely increased my strength and endurance in spite of the side effects of Leuprolide. I consider Pam to be an excellent professional trainer who has been an important person in my recovery from prostate cancer. I know that my recovery would have been much slower without her help.