Just How Well Do You Know Jan?

If you have walked through the Rice House doors in the past six years, you probably know Jan. She has probably helped you order a meal, invited you to go for a walk, or even might have driven you to the airport. For those of you who say you know Jan, I'm offering you an opportunity to really get to know Jan. What seems like just a tender-hearted soul has much more fight and fire than meets the eye.

In 2002, Jan walked into the Rice Diet weighing 216lbs. She had tried almost every diet in the country, and was desperately trying to find something that would help her regain her health. Much to her surprise, Jan was diagnosed with breast cancer only two days into her stay.

"I remember going to Dr. Rosati and telling him that I had to drop out," reflects Jan. "He told me that I wasn't going anywhere... that I was going to stay on the program and get my body healthy before I went through treatment; that is exactly what I did. Before I knew it, the caring staff at the Rice Diet program had connected me to the best physicians and health care team at Duke. I received excellent care, and they had just met me two days before." Jan adds that one of her favorite parts of the program is the caring staff. She says "the doctors and staff take care of every single person. No matter who you are, each participant is treated alike. This is the best place in the country."

When Jan started radiation therapy, she was walking the Duke Trail (that's 3.2 miles of steep incline and decline) daily. Her doctor warned her that she may feel lethargic, and would probably have to cut back on her exercise. Without a moment of hesitation, Jan looked him square in the face and said "you wanna bet?" By the end of her treatment, Jan had continued to walk the Duke trail every single day.

Last year, Jan celebrated FIVE YEARS of being cancer free by hiking to the Mt. Everest base camp, 17,600 feet elevation. To help her get ready for the climb, Jan worked hard with her personal trainer, Greg McElveen, at Duke's Sports Performance Lab. "She was doing ab-crunches with 60 pounds over her," shares Greg, "If she was taller, Coach K would probably want to recruit her." Today, Jan still lifts weights with Greg three times a week, and walks 3-4 miles, five days a week.

Jan confesses that every three months, she needs a 'Rice House tune-up.' "I eat more at night when I'm home by myself," says Jan. "When I have someone to talk to that has similar issues as me, I don't feel so alone." She says that she has learned a lot from the nutrition classes at the Rice Diet, and really likes the psychological support classes teaching her craving management coping skills.

There are some changes that Jan has made, however, that never lose steam. "My attitude toward food has changed completely," shares Jan. "Growing up in Mississippi, I used to cook everything in grease, bacon or fat back. I've cut way back on the amount of salt and fat that I eat now." Jan says that she no longer likes her "old foods" and this Mississippi girl won't even eat fried chicken!

When asked what keeps her going, Jan says that her biggest motivation is health. "I don't want to be in a wheelchair or nursing home like my mother was," confesses Jan. "I know that if I stay focused, I'll stay healthy."

To read a recent article about Jan from the Durham Herald-Sun, click here.