Navigating Life's Curveballs
- Dave Danna has been on a weight-loss journey with actor and fitness icon Arnold Schwarzenegger and said The Terminator star’s advice has helped him through some challenging family news.
- The newlywed, who once weighed 400 pounds — and has dropped around 150 of those pounds over the last 20 months — is determined to stay on course in his fight against obesity despite his mother-in-law’s stage 4 cancer diagnosis.
- While gaining inspiration from Arnold Schwarzenegger during a challenging time is pretty amazing, not everyone has that kind of support in their corner. You or your loved one’s cancer diagnosis can take over every part of your life, including your identity. It’s important to continue doing the things you love and communicating with your partner about your life changes along the way.
Schwarzenegger, 76, has a fitness club and podcast called “Arnold’s Pump Club” that provides inspiration for people striving for positive change.
Read MoreA Simple Message: ‘Vision’
“At breakfast Arnold talked about the importance of vision,” Dave continued. “My plans for this year changed, my vision has not. I actually got the call from my wife telling me while I was touring his office, they might remember, I stepped out to take a call which I would never normally do in that situation.”
“You can do it. I can do it. We can do it. Never give up,” Dave added.
Little did I know, while working out with Mr. Schwarzenegger, my wife was with her mother getting a stage 3 cancer diagnosis (now stage 4, my MIL, not wife).
At breakfast Arnold talked about the importance of vision.
My plans for this year changed, my vision has not.
— Dave Danna (@DaveEDanna) May 9, 2024
In November, Dave posted a video from Arnold’s Instagram page congratulating Dave on his marriage (“Mazel Tov!”), and the Commando actor also praised Dave for the amount of weight he’s lost so far — an impressive 149 lbs. in 20 months according to Dave’s Instagram.
Dave shared that at one point he weighed 400 pounds.
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Austria-born Arnold, who is the former Governor of California, rose to fame in the ’60s and ’70s as a competitive bodybuilder, winning the title of Mr. Olympia seven times, then became a globally-known action star in the 1980s and ’90s after moving to Venice Beach, California where he made Gold’s Gym his home gym.
He had dreamed of moving to the United States since age 10 and now helps others achieve their own inspirational dreams.
The Emotional Weight of a Cancer Diagnosis
While gaining inspiration from Arnold Schwarzenegger is pretty amazing, not everyone has that kind of support in their corner. You or your loved one’s cancer diagnosis can take over every part of your life, including your identity.
SurvivorNet previously spoke with Dr. Mona Robbins, a licensed psychologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, who shared tips on how to remain calm and carry on during life’s difficult curveballs.
“When [cancer] takes precedence, all the other things start to fall away,” Dr. Robbins shared. “In my work with patients, I want to make sure that they recognize who they are as they’re going through treatment.”
Cancer diagnoses can also largely affect relationships, so taking the time to talk to one other is vital, discussing how life is going to change, and how you can help each other.
Cancer & Relationships
Talking to a mental health professional can help stay ahead of more challenges along the way. Coping with pain, stress and depression is a huge emotional weight on loved ones and caregivers, along with their partners.
“If stress is becoming too oppressive, you can try relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation where you tense and then relax each muscle group in your body, and guided imagery, where you picture yourself in a setting such as a beach that makes you feel calm.”
“Something else that’s helpful is the idea of distraction, where perhaps a person listens to music or does something that takes their mind away,” Dr. Robbins suggested. Dave’s weight-lifting can certainly be one of those positive distractions.
“Look for the parts of your life where you still have control, such as advocating for yourself with your medical team. Try to let go of things you can’t control. Look for the positive aspects of your life, rather than focusing solely on the negative.”
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“There’s this connection with the mind and the body that if we adjust the way that we think, we can really help our bodies to heal,” added Dr. Robbins, which can be applied to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “vision” advice for Dave and his other mentees.
We wish Dave continued success on his weight-loss journey and love and strength to his family during this time.
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