This bikini competitor is documenting her battle with ovarian cancer on Instagram

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January 1, 2017 9:46 PM

Cheyann Shaw is open about the fact that the disease has completely changed her body.

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It’s easy to think of cancer as something that happens to the old, sickly or generally unhealthy. But as a fitness competitor, Cheyann Shaw is here to remind us all that no one is immune to the disease.

A year ago, 23-year-old Cheyann was a strong bikini competitor with a love for social media. Then, in August 2016, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer after going to the doctor for stomach pain and a lump that had formed in her pelvic area. “When I received my diagnosis, I was in shock,” she told WomensHealthMag.com. “I didn't think that it was real, but once it set in, I felt peace and strength. Don't get me wrong, I cried, but my husband and I looked at each other and knew I would be okay.”

Since her diagnosis, the fitness blogger has been super open on Instagram about how the cancer has affected her body and her fitness routine. “I have always been active and fitness is a huge part of my life,” she said. “Looking at old pictures inspires me to keep pushing and stay healthy.” (For a look at the real progress in the war on cancer, check out Rodale's .)

That said, Cheyann has felt her fair share of struggles. “The hardest part of all of this is my body change,” she wrote. On her Instagram, she describes how she’s lost major strength and muscle tone, going from squatting 160 pounds to barely being able to manage 100. She's also had to take it super easy with upper-body workouts. “I have a hard time looking at myself in the mirror,” she writes regarding the drastic changes she's seen in her body.

Still, Cheyann reminds herself that this time in her life is only temporary, and she’s determined to move forward. She’s currently undergoing chemotherapy in an attempt to eradicate the cancer that’s spread to her lymph nodes—a treatment plan that she’ll likely be on for a year, she told WomensHealthMag.com. But as soon as she’s able, she’ll be back to her regular routine. “I’m learning to love myself again,” she writes. “And once I get the clear light to work out, I’ll be in the gym banging those weights.”

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