Beating cancer isn't the finish line. It's the starting line for everything that comes next.
This Breast Cancer Awareness month, we were honored to sit down with two incredible women, Dorcas Curry and Amanda Sutton. We spoke about their journeys with cancer, fitness, and the strength that carried them through.
We met both women through our partnership with Survivor Fitness – a Tennessee-based nonprofit that connects cancer survivors like Dorcas and Amanda with fitness and training resources. Together, they work to rebuild after treatment – physically and mentally.
And NOBULL is proud to join the cause. Because a) f*ck cancer. And b) there's nothing more NOBULLshit than beating it – and bouncing back stronger. We could go on. But hey, nobody can tell these ladies' stories like they can.
Tell us a little about you, where you're from, and where your journey with cancer began.
Dorcas
I'm from Nashville, went to Lipscomb – my dad was a minister. Through the years, I worked in career development, HR, banking, and with the city. Fast forward to 2009, and everything seemed to happen at once. I got laid off suddenly, right before Christmas. I was mid-divorce with three kids, and now I was about to lose my health insurance. I decided to get one last physical before it ended and went in on December 31. The GYN offered to check me out, and on MLK Day I got a call saying they'd found something suspicious. I was terrified of the potential cost, but friends told me to go, and if need be, they'd find a way to help. The doctors found two lumps in my right breast and one in my left. They offered a lumpectomy, but I said "Take 'em off and give me some new ones!" – I never wanted to worry again. I went through chemo... twelve weeks of the hard stuff, losing my hair and nails. Then another year of lower-level chemo and five years of a pill after that.
Amanda
I'm from Knoxville, TN, and currently work in the Real Estate Industry. My cancer journey began in October 2019, when I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer – exactly one month after my 40th birthday. What started as a routine screening quickly turned into a fight for my life, but it's also been a journey of faith, resilience, and discovering strength I didn't know I had. That July, I had my annual mammogram, where the tech-in-training was permitted to perform my scan incorrectly (without my knowledge), resulting in a second mammogram being performed back-to-back. My doctor called later that day and told me everything looked fine, but a few days later I noticed a lot of bruising and had a painful nodule appear. After a second review of my scans, they said I likely had a cyst rupture and they then treated me for three months for a "hematoma." But I felt certain they were wrong. After pushing for a second opinion, I was sent to UT Medical Center. Turns out I had two tumors, and it was a very aggressive form of breast cancer. Within three weeks, I was undergoing a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, and I started chemo the week before Christmas. I had a total of eight rounds of chemo, every two weeks for 16 weeks. Just as I was approaching the final stretch of chemo in March 2020, Covid-19 hit. Suddenly, I was navigating cancer treatment in isolation, with extra precautions and uncertainty.
Before your diagnosis, what did fitness look like to you?
Dorcas
Before diagnosis, fitness to me was just being a single parent. Running around after the kids – baseball, violin, whatever they needed. I would walk sometimes, but it was always a "small cup of tea," to put it that way.
Amanda
I have always loved fitness! But before my diagnosis, it was more about staying active and healthy in everyday life. I enjoyed moving my body – doing yoga and running, with an occasional 5k here and there. But I didn't yet see fitness as the powerful tool for healing, strength, and community that it would later become for me.
How did you get introduced to Survivor Fitness?
Dorcas
I began walking more after treatment and started to think about a gym, but I really couldn't afford it. I heard about Survivor Fitness at a cancer survivor meeting at church. One of the ladies there introduced me and I both needed it and loved it. My trainer Carrie was incredible. She knew what my body needed and what I could do, but she also knew how to push me. What kept me coming back was her consistency. I wanted to feel better, and she made me want to keep going. I remember bench pressing and thinking, "YEAHHH, Dorcas is doing this!!" We did one-on-one treadmill warmups, stretching, then weight training. I had no training background, so all of that was brand new to me. Watching my body change felt good mentally and physically, and that kept me coming back, too.
Amanda
I was introduced to Survivor Fitness a couple of years after treatment, when I was still feeling depleted and unsure how to rebuild my strength. A friend told me about the program, and although I was intimidated at first, I decided to join – and it turned out to be life-changing! I was paired with Stetson at Performance Training, Inc. I was Stetson's first Survivor, but from the start, he had a way of pushing me out of my comfort zone while still making me feel safe and capable. He challenged me to do more than I thought I could and to believe in myself. That training experience became a turning point where I shifted from just surviving, to thriving. The program lasted 12 weeks (24 one-on-one sessions) and offered group sessions on Saturdays. It made such an impact on me that I kept working with Stetson, as well as other trainers even after I completed the program.
Beyond physical health, how did you stay mentally strong through recovery and beyond?
Dorcas
I kept telling myself, "I had cancer, cancer didn't have me." That was my mantra. I decided this was just a journey I had to go through, and I wanted to be strong so others could see it and be helped. I journaled a lot, writing became a huge outlet. I just dug deep and did my visits and treatments, one day at a time. And then fitness just helped me want to go further, to grow and be better. It gave me real clarity and purpose... even when I had to drive across Nashville traffic to get to training.
Amanda
Beyond physical health, I stayed mentally strong by leaning on my faith, choosing joy in the little things, and surrounding myself with people who lifted me up. The camaraderie and friendships I gained through Survivor Fitness expanded my circle in the most genuine way. That community not only supported me in recovery, but opened the door to a new chapter of my life, where I even met my fiancé.
One of the things we believe in at NOBULL is the power of community. What did community mean to you during your journey and beyond?
Dorcas
People just showed UP. Women brought groceries and stocked my house, so I didn't have to worry. The beautician from church took care of me when I couldn't. A friend had his head shaved alongside me. And my children were with me through absolutely everything. All that support made the challenge bearable.
Amanda
Community is everything! During treatments, it was the love, prayers, and encouragement that carried me through the hardest days. Beyond cancer, it has become the circle of people who inspire me to keep showing up, living with intention, and giving back. Community reminds you that you are never alone, and that is powerful.
We like to talk about a "NOBULL mentality": showing up on hard days, putting in the work even when it's ugly. Does that ring true for you?
Dorcas
Oh yes. I had hip problems – bursitis and arthritis – and later I had double hip replacement surgery. I still have pain in my joints. There were so many days I wanted to quit because I was hurting, or because I had to drive hours through traffic just to train, but Carrie pushed and showed me I could do more. Some days I was tired, I didn't want to finish, I felt like I couldn't. But once I saw that I could, I never wanted to let go of that feeling.
Amanda
Absolutely! I believe that your mindset is half the battle. Some days were tough – physically, mentally, and emotionally – but I learned the power of simply showing up. Even when I didn't feel like it, putting in the work reminded me that progress comes in small, consistent steps. Those moments built resilience and strength, and it still rings true today.
What advice do you have for someone who might be struggling through low points or trying to stay disciplined?
Dorcas
I always say, "surrender to the struggle." Accept that, ok, maybe you're not in control of everything in life. And you can't just make hard things go away. But you can get through them. So, hold on to your goal – even if you're holding it by a single pinky. Know that IF you keep doing this, no matter how slowly or painfully you do, you WILL get better. Sometimes you have to go through a rough patch to get to the other side. Focus on those trees on the other side of the mud you're stuck in and just keep moving.
Amanda
I understand how intimidating it can feel after everything they've been through. I was intimidated myself when I joined the Survivor Fitness program and when I first walked through the doors at Performance Training, Inc. But it turned out to be one of the best decisions I made in my recovery. It's not about being perfect or strong right away – it's about rebuilding your strength, your confidence, and even your identity after cancer turned everything upside down. It's okay to be nervous, but I promise you will not regret saying yes to giving yourself a gift of healing. Fitness is fuel and I truly believe you will see that you are capable of more than you think!
What's next for you, and what role will fitness play going forward? Are you still involved with Survivor Fitness?
Dorcas
I'm 64 now and bursitis definitely slows me down, but I am committed to always keep moving. I joined my local Y, and I do water aerobics and a dance class called Dance Blast with my 28-year-old daughter. The instructor is her age and WOW – this girl is on FIRE! Just trying to keep up with these kids is a fun challenge. And I volunteer with Survivor Fitness whenever I can – they helped me so much and I want to give back however I can.
Outside of fitness, I'm a motivational speaker and writer. I wrote a book about my journey, titled "Even in the Dark I Surrender", and I just finished a biography for a young black race car driver. Now I'm working on another biography with a celebrity chef who comes from the projects here in Nashville. Personally, I'd love to have my own talk show some day – one with a big purple couch!
Amanda
Fitness is a huge part of my life now and I plan to continue to keep chasing big goals – both in life and in competition. Fitness will always be a cornerstone, not just for staying strong physically, but for reminding me of the resilience and joy I gained through this journey. It's a way to honor my health and keep moving forward.
I'm also still very involved with Survivor Fitness. I've stayed connected by helping with annual fundraising events like Rock-the-Row and the Survivor Soiree, and by sharing my story so that other survivors can find the same support and strength I did. Everyone's story is different, but seeing other survivors have the same opportunity to heal and thrive is such a beautiful reminder of why this community matters. Giving back only feels natural after all they have done for me!
Dorcas and Amanda's stories aren't neat or tidy. They're messy, real, and full of the small choices that add up to transformative change. And they prove what we already know: fitness is more than working out. It's resilience. It's community. It's a way to reclaim control when life feels uncontrollable.
At NOBULL, we're proud to stand with Survivor Fitness and all the survivors who show us what true strength looks like. Because whether it's walking into a gym for the first time, doing laps of your local mall, or just showing up even when every cell is screaming not to – the work is what makes it worth it.
If you want to learn more about Survivor Fitness, or find ways to support survivors in your area, check them out at survivorfitness.org and consider getting involved. And for the second year in a row, we're proudly donating to help support another 150 cancer survivors along their journey to build back stronger.
