Hélène Hauptmann – Reclaiming your body through sport after breast cancer

Watch the video interview

Listen to the podcast

Read the interview

Introducing Hélène

Today, I welcome Hélène Hauptmann on the occasion ofPink October. Hélène has been touched by two breast cancers, in 2013 and 2015, and has returned to physical activity thanks to the association En Avant les Amazones. She offered to share her story with you today, and I had to accept, because I think her story is very inspiring and will really help other women. Welcome Hélène!

Thank you very much, Laurène. And first of all, congratulations on the creation of this magazine, designed by women, for women. Really, bravo!

Thank you very much! Could you quickly introduce yourself?

As you said, my name is Hélène. I live in southern Alsace and have been affected by two cancers, one in 2013 and another in 2015.

Cancer diagnosis

All right, then. And when you were first diagnosed, how did you find out?

I learned about it while on duty at the hospital. At the time, I was an ER nurse, and it was my gynecologist who called to tell me I had cancer. Over the phone… You can imagine how difficult it was to receive the news like that.

I suppose you weren’t expecting it at all? Had you noticed anything unusual before, or not really?

Generally speaking, no, I was feeling fine, I’m a dynamic person and always have been. But I had indeed noticed a small induration at the base of my chest, which made me doubt.

We stress the importance of getting diagnosed regularly. You’re a nurse, so you may have reacted more quickly, but it’s important to go to the gynecologist regularly. In your case, it was caught in time, wasn’t it?

Yes, from the moment I noticed that there was something abnormal, everything went very quickly. Two weeks later, I was operated on, and my breast was removed 15 days after the announcement.

The impact of cancer on life and sporting activities

It was very quick indeed. Let’s talk about your sporting activities. Before these two cancers, what sports did you play?

I mainly went running, one or two times a week, just for fun. I also did a bit of rollerblading and a lot of mountain biking.

So you were already very active. When you were ill, how did you cope physically and mentally? Did you stop sport altogether?

Yes, it was very difficult. I was 35 at the time, and my children were small. The youngest was 2, the eldest 8. What gave me the strength to go on was thinking about them. But physically, I had to stop almost all activity for two years. When I had a recurrence in 2015, the treatments took a lot out of me. I regret not having continued with physical activity, because today I realize that those who continue, even with gentle activity, tolerate the treatments better.

So in 2015, you had a recurrence. What changed in your treatment this time?

In 2013, I “only” had the breast removed, but by 2015, the cancer was infiltrating. I felt nodes during a shower, and after the biopsy, it was confirmed. I had chemotherapy, then surgery to remove the lymph nodes, radiotherapy, and finally subcutaneous chemotherapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.

It was a very heavy treatment. What were your greatest challenges during this period?

The hardest part was continuing to look after my children. They were still young, and I wanted to show them that I was still there. That gave me the strength to stand on my own two feet. I was well surrounded by family and friends, but it’s true that those who don’t live through this situation can’t fully understand how it feels.

Resuming physical activity

When did you feel the need to start exercising again? And how did you find the desire to start up again?

During my treatment, the hospital had offered me care through the Ligue contre le cancer and other associations, but I didn’t feel ready. I felt that these associations didn’t meet my expectations or needs. I also had this fear of ending up with much older people, because at the time, I was still very young and I didn’t see other young people in the same situation as me. Today, it’s perhaps a little more common.

After two years of treatment, I really felt the need to resume physical activity. I felt I ‘d lost control over my body and wanted to reclaim it. I thought that physical activity could help me in this process. So I spoke to my GP, who knew the president of the En Avant les Amazones association, to which I now belong and where I volunteer.

This association really spoke to me, because it was created and is run entirely by women, and in particular by women who have been through the ordeal of cancer themselves. This means that all the volunteers have been through it, which creates a real bond between us. The association’s president is a gynecologist, which also gives him a better understanding of what we’re going through.

This helped me enormously, as I was able to get back into gentle physical activity thanks to these small groups of women, particularly by cycling at first. Since then, the association has grown considerably, with more and more members. Each one brings her own ideas and proposes the sporting activity she likes. We offer a wide range of activities: walking, running, as well as events during Pink October. The aim is to offer a variety of activities so that everyone can find their place and practice an activity that suits them.

Okay, so you’re back on the bike, but depending on each woman’s physical capabilities at the time, depending on where she is in her treatment, I imagine they can find a variety of suitable activities at the association, can’t they?

Yes, we do. In fact, the only person we pay in the association is a coach specialized in adapted sports. She offers muscle strengthening twice a week, which helps to remobilize deep muscles, particularly for women still undergoing treatment. There are a lot of young women in this situation within the association, so they start slowly with this strengthening. Sometimes, we also offer walks. For others, depending on the distance covered since the end of their treatment, we can organize running or bike training sessions.

From April onwards, we start preparing for a challenge we organize every year in September. This consists of four days spent cycling through certain regions of France, with a challenge of 200 to 300 km in four days. To do this, you need to train, of course. But we have solutions adapted to women who have more difficulty. We offer electric-assist bikes for hire, and have also acquired a tandem recumbent bike. This allows the woman in front to lie down, while still being able to pedal if she wishes. If she doesn’t pedal, the person at the back takes over. This way, everyone can take part, be in the fresh air, and enjoy the activity.

It’s a great challenge, and it’s already a great distance! It’s impressive to see that with a little progressive effort, you can achieve this, even when you’re not in great shape to begin with. When you started out again, how often did you train? You said you strengthened your muscles twice a week, but how did it go for you?

When I started again, I did indeed begin by strengthening my muscles. As far as cycling was concerned, I was already familiar with this activity, but I felt the need to strengthen my deep muscles so that I could balance better on the bike and be less tired on long distances. So I did one strengthening session a week, and as soon as the weather permitted, I went out cycling with the other members of the association.

And how did physical activity help you? Did it immediately make you feel better, or did it help you recover or cope better with the treatments? How did it make you feel?

You might think that doing sport is tiring, and it’s true that physical effort is tiring. But after a physical activity, we never say to ourselves that we should have stayed at home. In fact, we sometimes regret not having gone out, but we never regret having done sport. Gradually, the effort became easier to bear because I had a regular rhythm. And being part of the association helps, because there’s always someone to tell you: “Come on, let’s do this outing”. When you get involved with someone else, you don’t want to drop out at the last minute. It helps to maintain a rhythm.

I even started running again. I saw two women from the association who had run a marathon, and I said to myself: “If they can do it, why can’t I? It was a personal challenge. I could have chosen something else, but this one really meant a lot to me. It was a beautiful challenge, and I’m happy to have been guided by these two women who were very inspiring for me.

Hélène’s personal sporting challenges

That’s great! Can you tell us more about this marathon challenge? What did you do to prepare, and how did you manage it?

Alongside the association, I had joined an athletics club, but more for fun, as there are only three or four of us running. I spoke to the club president about it, and he offered to prepare a training plan for the marathon, which he did. For 12 weeks, I had four outings a week, and I didn’t miss a single one. I prepared well in advance for the marathon.

The first year, I couldn’t finish because of a time barrier. At the 32nd kilometer, the organizers decided I wouldn’t make it in time, so I had to give up. But I promised myself I’d get my revenge. And this year, I succeeded! I finished the Geneva Marathon in under six hours, before the time barrier. It was my big challenge, and I’m very proud to have met it.

That’s incredible, congratulations! And to get an idea of the timing, how soon after you finished your treatments did you start preparing for this marathon?

I’m nine years removed from my treatments. I started preparing for my first marathon about eight years after the end of my last cancer.

It’s really encouraging to see that you’ve been able to get back into such good shape. Not everyone runs marathons, so that’s impressive! And today, what sports do you do on a daily basis, and how do you feel?

I’m still running, but this time for pleasure. I still have a few challenges for next year. I’m also continuing to go out on my bike, and I’m getting more and more into road biking. With the association, we prefer safe places like cycle paths, and I’ve developed a taste for riding on tarmac. J

I do a lot of cycling and I’m getting ready to take on a few challenges, notably the Alsacienne Cyclotourisme, which I did this year near Crut. Next year, I’ve got another big challenge in mind: doing the 180 km tour of Lake Lausanne. It’ll be a first for me, but with the right training and determination, I’m sure it can be done.

The importance of the association’s community of women

Funnily enough, it’s something I’d like to do too. I’ve never done 180 km either, but indeed, it sounds like a great experience, especially in such a beautiful setting. We were also talking about the importance of the women’s community within the association. Can you tell us more about the role this has played for you? As I understand it, it’s all women who have been affected by breast cancer. How has it helped you to talk to women who understand what you’ve been through?

Yes, the association is open to all women who have had cancer. Initially, and even today, the majority of members have had breast cancer, because that’s the main type of cancer in France, and that’s also the case in our association. However, the association is also open to women with other types of cancer. The idea is not to close any doors, but to offer support and mutual aid.

When we get together, we sometimes talk about our difficulties, our treatments, or the physical or psychological after-effects we may have from a distance. It’s very helpful to talk about them. Sometimes we don’t even talk about these subjects, but being together is just as beneficial. We understand each other without always having to explain. That’s what we call peer recognition. That’s the spirit of our association.

Hélène’s advice for women with cancer

Yes, I understand. I imagine it’s really important, even when you’re surrounded by your family. People who haven’t been through the same ordeal can’t always fully understand what you’re going through. Here, you’re surrounded by people who understand perfectly. If you had to give advice to women undergoing treatment or in remission, what would you tell them?

Whether at the time of the announcement, during treatment or in remission, I would tell them not to remain isolated andto open up to all the possibilities open to them. You won’t necessarily find the right association or sports club right away, but don’t hesitate to try. In the end, you’ll always find something that suits you.

Getting out of the family circle is also essential, because when you’re ill, you don’t want to worry your nearest and dearest. So we keep a lot of things to ourselves, and don’t dare talk about them too much so as not to upset them. Being able to talk to other people who are going through the same thing gives us some relief.

So don’t hesitate to push open the doors of clubs and associations, or take part in organized events, especially during Pink October, when there are more and more walks and runs. This can be the first step towards a physical activity, even a gentle one, that brings well-being.

Hélène’s professional reconversion

I know that this has also led to some big changes in your life. You went from being a nurse to a mountain leader. Can you tell us about that?

Yes, that’s right. During my illness, I worked in an emergency department in a small hospital. But I soon realized that this no longer suited my health situation. I couldn’t see myself working anywhere but in the emergency department, because those were the best years of my nursing career.

I then looked for a new path, while retaining my desire to help others. Through the Fédération française du milieu montagnard, I discovered the mid-mountain guide training course. I took the two-year course and now work as a mountain guide in both rural and mountain environments. I particularly target people undergoing treatment or after treatment, with a health sports approach, using walking to promote gentle mobility.

Contact the association “En avant les Amazones!

It’s really interesting and certainly very useful for the people you accompany. Finally, could you tell us how to contact you if someone would like to use your services as a guide, or how to contact the En Avant les Amazones association?

So, for my escort business, which is a reconversion, it’s still in the process of being set up. But I’m based in the south of Alsace and I’ll be easy to find on social networks once everything’s set up. For the association En Avant les Amazones, you can contact us via social networks, that’s the easiest way. We have two people in charge of communications, so don’t hesitate to leave a message on the association’s page, either on Instagram or Facebook. They’ll get back to you without a hitch.

• Website: https: //www.helloasso.com/associations/en-avant-les-amazones
• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: https: //www.facebook.com/p/En-Avant-Les-Amazones-100042845117347/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enavantlesamazones/

Very well, thank you very much, Hélène, for your truly inspiring testimony. I’m sure it will help many women. It’s great to see how you’ve regained your energy after such a difficult ordeal. It gives us great hope. Thank you again for sharing your experience.

Thank you for allowing me to tell my story. It’s important, especially during the month of Pink October, when awareness is at its highest. But we mustn’t forget that we need to be vigilant all year round. It’s essential to keep an eye on yourself and never hesitate to get tested.