Fort Worth

Living Strong - A Y Story

July 14, 20250 min

Living Strong - A Y Story

Crystal never wanted to be the poster child for cancer, but a diagnosis in 2021 and a road to recovery changed her mind.

After nearly a lifetime of fitness and faith, Crystal VanKempen-McClanahan never expected to become the face of survivorship. But when stage 4 cancer turned her world upside down, she leaned into her strength and her community at the Northwest YMCA in Fort Worth to rebuild more than just her health.

Crystal’s roots with the Y run deep. Growing up in South Dakota, the local YMCA was a hub for her family. “My dad was an aerobics instructor in the eighties,” she said with a smile. “The Y was just central to our life.”

Years later, after decades in Las Vegas, Crystal and her husband made the move to Texas, and she found herself working once again at the Y—this time just minutes from her new home. “I had no intention of working here, but I walked in, and it felt like full circle,” she said.

In 2021, Crystal was diagnosed with cancer. The next year was a blur of shifting insurance, tests, and surgeries. By 2023, the diagnosis had advanced. “I was in the hospital, and they told me to call hospice,” she recalled. “But I had great hope. I didn’t deny what was happening, I just didn’t receive it in my soul.”

Her journey back to strength was solitary at first. Radiation, surgery, immunotherapy, and chemo left her weak, 50 pounds lighter, and using a walker. But she quietly wheeled herself back into the gym floor, quietly lifting dumbbells, rep by rep. “I knew what to do. But I realized most people don’t.”

That’s where LIVESTRONG® at the YMCA came in. “I’d known about the program for years,” Crystal said, “but I had never seen it run until someone asked me to teach it. And I knew I could help.”

“At first I didn’t want to talk about it,” she said. “But one day, I thought, ‘What if someone lives because I speak up? What if they don’t give up?”

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is a free, research-based 12-week program designed to support cancer survivors in their physical and emotional recovery. Offered in small groups twice a week, the program combines cardiovascular and strength training with balance, flexibility, and the healing power of community. Participants do not need to be YMCA members to join.

“People think it’s just about exercise,” Crystal said, “but it’s so much more.”

Since earning her certification, Crystal has co-led the program at the Northwest YMCA alongside another survivor, Paige, creating a welcoming environment for individuals at every stage of the cancer journey. “We had someone still in treatment and another ten years out,” she said. “They walk in timid, unsure—and by week 12, they’re dancing, laughing. It’s more than physical transformation. It’s confidence. It’s healing.”

“We’re not just building muscle—we’re building confidence, community, and healing. Spirit, soul, and body.”

With her deep fitness background and personal experience, Crystal crafts each class to meet the group where they are. “You’ve got to know how to modify, to support someone with a rod in their arm or limited mobility, and still challenge them in ways that matter.”

The emotional strength is just as critical. “We don’t spend the whole time talking about cancer,” she said. “But people connect. They share what they’re ready to share. They find support. We’re building spirit, soul and body.”

Crystal is passionate about helping participants feel empowered long after the 12 weeks end. “I want them to know how to walk into a Y and use the equipment. I want them to feel like they belong.”

Though she never intended to share her story publicly, Crystal now sees it as part of her calling. “At first I didn’t want to talk about it,” she said. “But one day, I thought—what if someone lives because I speak up? What if they don’t give up?”

That’s the power of a program like LIVESTRONG. It’s not about looking back, it’s about building forward, together.

As Crystal puts it, “You don’t have to do this alone. There is a place for you here.”

Find a LIVESTRONG Program Near You

The YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth offers programs on a seasonal basis. To find schedules or get more information, visit YMCAFW.org/disease-management.

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