At 35, life threw Isabelle an unimaginable challenge—diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer that metastasized to her liver. A single mom to 10-year-old twins, Dominic and Anicia, she was plunged into a fight for her life. But even when the odds felt overwhelming, Isabelle found a strength she never knew she had—fueled by love for her children and her faith in God.
Before her diagnosis in February 2023, Isabelle had already begun transforming her life through weightlifting. She built herself into a version of herself that was stronger than she ever imagined. But cancer, and a permanent colostomy bag that required revision due to severe complications, pushed her to the brink. Nearly 30 rounds of chemo, failed TACE procedures on her liver, and bouts of immobility left her questioning if she could ever return to the woman she once was. But Isabelle refused to surrender.
“For my kids, I couldn’t give up. They are my angels, my reason for fighting,” she says, reflecting on how her twins motivate her daily. Through the pain and setbacks, Isabelle began light training in her bedroom. Slowly, her strength returned. With determination, she got back to the gym, working out around her colostomy bag and fatigue. Now, she’s back to weightlifting, building herself stronger, inside and out, for her kids.
Every day is a victory—a chance to fight harder, to defy the odds her doctors gave her, and to show her twins what resilience looks like. The love and joy she shares with them—whether it’s taking them to the water park or riding roller coasters—remind Isabelle why she keeps pushing forward.
“I live in the moments that make them smile. I live in the wind, the butterflies, and their laughter. No matter what happens to my body, I live in them,” Isabelle says.
Her story is more than one of survival; it’s one of thriving in the face of the unthinkable. Despite the darkest of days, Isabelle chooses to live fully, knowing that each moment with her kids is a blessing. And through it all, her faith guides her: “God didn’t give me cancer. This is just life, and I’m going to fight with everything I have.”
Isabelle embodies what it means to leave mayhem behind. She’s using her strength, her faith, and the love of her kids to fight back against the cancer that tried to take it all away. Her journey is a testament to resilience, showing us all how to rise, no matter how fierce the storm.
