You Can Be Beautiful Beyond Breast Cancer: The Strength Training and Diet Program That Changed My Life Post-cancer

Offers guidelines for implementing a diet and exercise program during and after breast cancer treatment, based on the author's battle with the disease while training for a figure competition.

Leslie Spencer holds a Ph.D. in Health Education from Temple University and is a Professor of Health and Exercise Science at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ, where she has served since 1995. She coordinates an undergraduate degree program in Health Promotion and Fitness Management and a graduate degree program in Wellness and Lifestyle Management (formerly Health Promotion Management). She is also a breast cancer survivor who trained for and competed in her first figure competition while undergoing four surgeries, 18 weeks of chemotherapy and 6 weeks of radiation therapy. She participated in a second figure competition in August 2011. Both competitions are hosted by the Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders.

Leslie will be a partner with Dr. Kathryn Schmitz, an Associate Professor in the College of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, on the WISER Survivor study of fitness training for women at high risk for breast cancer, slated to begin in the fall of 2012. Through a grant-funded initiative, Leslie will host one of ten sites identified to provide fitness counseling and training to participants and collect data for the study.

Domenick Salvatore graduated from Rowan University in 2009 with a degree in Health Promotion and Fitness Management. Leslie Spencer was his faculty advisor and professor, and he began working as her personal trainer as part of a course project in his final semester of school. It was during this semester that Leslie was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she asked Domenick to train her through treatment and help her prepare to compete in a figure competition. He researched her specific training needs as she underwent cancer treatment and created a program to meet those needs. Leslie was well-prepared for the rigors of figure training as a result of Domenick s training program. Domenick is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.