Tampa YMCA launches new program for children recovering from cancer

By Robert Boyd

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    TAMPA, Florida (WFTS) — The Tampa YMCA just launched a new program called Thrivers Club, specifically for kids recovering from cancer. The goal is to help them regain their strength and their childhood.

From chin-ups to push-ups to layups, seven-year-old Alex Dalton has come a long way, considering he had to learn to walk three different times in the past six years.

“Alex was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was 16 months old. He, at that time, stopped walking. He was very weak,” said mom Larissa Dalton.

ABC Action News first introduced you to Alex and his family back in January at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice.

“There were many times the only thing Alex could eat was Italian ice and ice cream, so Jeremiah’s was an incredible way to celebrate his six years of treatment bell ringing,” said Larissa.

Now that Alex is finally in remission, it’s on to the next challenge: regaining his strength. The seven-year-old is among the first children to sign up for the Tampa YMCA Thrivers Club.

“We want to work with them with hand-eye coordination, endurance, strength, and balance. We want to get them to be able to get back to some normalcy, have some support and fun in a safe environment,” said Nicole Kettermann, Director of Youth Health and Wellness.

The Thrivers Club is open to all childhood cancer survivors, ages six to 17, and is absolutely free, thanks to the Y’s annual Thanksgiving fundraiser, Turkey Gobble Race.

“It’s our Y, this is our Y, we want to be able to give back to the community to be that support,” said Kettermann.

“He has learned the use of all of his other muscles that he wasn’t really working on before, and he’ll get sore, and he’ll be like, ‘Wow, I didn’t know I had a muscle there,’” said Larissa.

The best part is that, for the first time ever, he gets to act like a regular kid.

“You can be weak, but the Thrivers Club can make you stronger and get better at sports that you have never played before,” said Alex.

Alex’s favorite sport is basketball, especially when he can beat his trainer Isiah in a game of horse.

“He loves his trainer, and he counts down every single day until his next workout with Isiah,” said Larissa.

“It’s so inspiring, just to see someone go through so much at such a young age and to be at the point he is; I’m blessed to be a part of it,” said Isiah.

Alex’s family hopes to be a voice in the childhood cancer community. You don’t have to go through it alone.

“Alex is a big voice. I feel like he is a bigger voice than I am, because he is a miracle,” said Larissa.

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