Stories of Impact
YMCA OF GREATER WAUKESHA COUNTY

BUILDING STRONGER FAMILIES

Kristen Stoll, Financial Development Director | YMCA of Greater Waukesha County
Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Strength Runs In Our Y Family

Jeanne, 70, and her daughter, Nealy, 37, have been coming to the Southwest YMCA every week for over three years. Nealy meets with her personal trainer, Karen, for a couple of different health reasons. First, to work on strength due to issues from a past ankle injury, as well as working to improve her muscle tone and challenges with weight as a result of having Down syndrome. With her commitment to coming to the Y and working with Karen, Nealy has lost 20 pounds, improved her gait, and has better overall muscle tone. Additionally, Nealy’s strength training has led her to earn a silver medal in the statewide Special Olympics competition, swimming the 400 meter freestyle event.

When Nealy first started her sessions with Karen, Jeanne was undergoing treatment for breast cancer, so she would read at the Y during her daughter’s personal training sessions. Once she successfully completed her treatment, and was starting to feel stronger, she realized that she could take advantage of this time to focus on her own health, as well. She began participating in SilverSneakers^® classes on a weekly basis, which resulted in losing over 20 pounds and improving her arthritic knees. Additionally, she noticed her everyday activities becoming easier and less stressful on her body, like gardening and enjoying long motorcycle rides.

Jeanne says that the “Southwest YMCA is a family activity, with benefits for both of us.”

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