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BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — On any given evening, Mary Fashik can be seen dancing on the front row in Zumba class at Bailey's Powerhouse Gym in Brunswick. Oftentimes teaching one or two dances herself, it's something the 38-year-old, vivacious Brunswick resident has enjoyed doing since her first Zumba class at the YMCA in February 2013.
"It was a Zumba Gold class, which is for older adults and adults with reduced mobility. It was challenging but fun and I knew I had finally found an exercise program I would stick with," Fashik said.
Challenging is an understatement to anyone who knows Fashik, who has cerebral palsy and has been in a wheelchair since she was a toddler.
"Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that most commonly occurs at birth due to a lack of oxygen to the brain, which causes damage to the part of the brain that affects the muscles," Fashik said. "(But) no two cases of are alike. For example, some people can walk, some cannot, some have speech impediments while others' speech is not affected."
In Fashik's case, the disorder has affected her speech and caused weakness on the left side of her body.
"There are no typical symptoms, but in my case, I developed early onset arthritis at age 30," she said.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the neurological disorder appears in infancy or early childhood and permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination but doesn't worsen over time.
The organization stated that a small number of children have cerebral palsy as a result of brain infections such as bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis, or head injury from a motor vehicle accident, a fall or child abuse.
Early signs typically appear before a child reaches 3 years old with the most common ones being a lack of muscle coordination when performing voluntary movements (ataxia); stiff or tight muscles and exaggerated reflexes (spasticity); walking with one foot or leg dragging; walking on the toes, a crouched gait, or a "scissored" gait; and muscle tone that is either too stiff or too floppy, the organization found.
Sadly, cerebral palsy can't be cured. It can, however, be treated to improve a person's capabilities.
"At my age, there is not really any specific treatment for cerebral palsy. But in order to maintain what mobility I have, I attend physical and occupational therapy," Fashik said.
With a fiery spirit and "can-do" attitude, Fashik doesn't let her health or wheelchair stop her from exercising. In fact, Zumba, she said, is something that is "the perfect combination for me."
"I love music and I love to dance . (and) I love that it doesn't feel like a workout. It's just a lot of fun," she said.
"I have always made sure to sit in a spot where I know I will not bump into others and they will not bump into me. I started out sitting in the back of the class and now, I'm always in the front."
That's not all she does to stay in shape. Besides attending Zumba, she enjoys taking X-Fit and indoor cycling classes at Bailey's. "I use an arm bike in cycle class since I am not physically able to get on the bikes in the cycle room," she added.
And since she started her weight loss journey three years ago, Fashik has seen a considerable change in her appearance.
"In three years of doing Zumba, combined with physical therapy and changing my diet, I have dropped four pants/shirt sizes. It has helped relieve my arthritis and reduce everyday aches and pains," she said.
Though she's currently suffering from a herniated disc in her neck that occurred in October 2015, it doesn't deter her from attending Zumba classes or wanting to be a certified Zumba instructor one day. She even has her own YouTube channel, Zumba On Wheels — something she uses as a vehicle to "show others with limited mobility that they can do Zumba, too, (and) that the only limitations are in their mind."
"While I am not yet a certified Zumba instructor, I would like to become one in the near future. That desire started about a year and a half after I started taking the classes," Fashik said, adding that video posts of adaptive Zumba routines on YouTube are helping her move one step closer to achieving her goal.
"Most people look at me and see my wheelchair as an obstacle or a challenge. I have never seen it that way. It is simply my means of getting around. (And) though I move differently than others, I can still move."
Adapting all movements in every aspect of life is something that Fashik has always had to do, especially when it comes to exercise. But her love of dancing and wanting to help motivate others transcends the wheelchair she's bound to.
"I have always loved to dance and Zumba gave me the ability to do just that. I was once told, 'Oh Mary, if you weren't in that chair, you'd really be dancing.' Who's to say I'm not dancing? No two people walk or talk alike. Why should I dance like anyone else?" Fashik asked.
"My goal is not to inspire others but to motivate them. I'm not a victim of some horrible tragedy. I am a woman who was overweight and needed to make some changes, so I did. None of them were easy, but nothing in life ever is.
"I simply stopped making excuses and decided to start taking care of myself and exercising. I know it changed my life and maybe, just maybe (I) will help change other people's lives, too."
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Information from: The Brunswick News, http://www.thebrunswicknews.com
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