I Chose to Move
- Surviving Breast Cancer
- Jul 22
- 3 min read
By Beth Krasemann COMMUNITY | BREAST CANCER STORIES
In May 2023, I went on a run and a dog bit me! I went to a doctor to have it checked out and I asked for an order for a mammogram, as I had not had one since before Covid.
The mammogram revealed a fairly large tumor–I was in shock as I had no symptoms, pain, or indication that a 8 centimeter tumor was embedded in my left breast. A needle biopsy and pathology analysis revealed I had triple positive breast cancer; I had positive receptors for estrogen, progesterone, and HER2. The cancer had spread to lymph nodes, so a treatment plan was crafted. Later studies put me at stage 2.
As I navigated those frightening opening days and weeks, I made a decision I would not stop moving. I ran, hiked, swam, mountain biked, road biked, gravel biked, skied uphill, skied downhill, Nordic skied, kayaked, windsurfed, sailed, climbed mountains, wrote a book, taught high school history, coached ski mountaineering, traveled, and raced in many different events through 18 months of breast cancer treatment—20 rounds of chemo, 28 rounds of radiation, and a mastectomy. I used movement as medicine; I exercised on average 900 minutes a week, far above the 150 minutes recommended by the American Heart Association. I believe movement is the fourth pillar of cancer treatment.
In the middle of treatment, I completed one of the most challenging ski mountaineering races in the United States: the Power of Four in Aspen, Colorado, with my son Daniel by my side.
My answer to the absurdity of the diagnosis and treatment was to move. I grew up with three older brothers and very active parents who instilled in the family a passion for movement. We spent vacations skiing or backpacking in the mountains and all four of us played a range of sports growing up.
After competing as a college soccer and track runner, I continued to pursue physical fitness as a runner and biker in my adult life. So when the cancer diagnosis arrived, I made a deliberate decision to not stop moving. I would not let cancer steal my love of fitness and adventure. It did not matter the pace or how; I simply needed to move my body, every day.
The “red devil chemo” (doxorubicin) made running really hard, but I kept at it. I turned to skiing in the winter months as my main focus of movement. After my mastectomy, I skied using only one arm! In the spring, summer and fall, I turned to the trails to run and bike. When I was outside moving, I did not feel like a cancer patient. I felt like a healthy and normal athlete.
I wrote about my experience in my book 900 Minutes: Movement as Medicine. It recounts the ups and downs of anyone fighting cancer—or any other trauma. It demonstrates how exercise—in all its forms—serves, sustains, and nurtures us all. I dedicate my book to exercise, in all forms, and to the resilience of my body. I pushed it so hard and she always responded and made my fight through the treatment manageable.
To truly mark the end of my treatment and on to what I call Beth 2.0, my husband and I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in June 2026. My story serves as a model of what is possible during breast cancer treatment. Now, let’s get moving!
About the author:
Beth Krasemann is the author of 900 Minutes: Movement as Medicine. More information: https://900minutes.com/
Read More:
On the Podcast: Breast Cancer Conversations
Episode 214: The Benefits of Pilates for Breast Cancer Recovery
