Our guest blogger is Jasmine, who finished treatment for an osteosarcoma in January. She's sharing her experiences of recovery through personal training, and the effect it's had on her life post-cancer.

For the last few months I have been receiving personal training from a good friend, and fellow cancer survivor David Robertson. I met Dave after a long period of feeling very isolated and lonely in my post-cancer life. I had sought the help of my leisure therapist at the PA hospital in getting in touch with other young cancer survivors, as I knew that it would help me with my psychological recovery. I didn't know at the time that the person she would put me in touch with would end up helping me so much in both my mental and physical recovery.

Dave is a Fitness Professional, and before I met him he had been leading C-Vivor boxing sessions on Saturday mornings with about five other survivors. C-Vivor is a Cancer Council initiative designed to give group fitness training free of charge to cancer survivors. Dave was also in the process of setting up his own foundation called Live Forever, in order to give free one on one fitness training to cancer survivors.

Dave and I had coffee and we very quickly struck up a friendship. I started training with Dave one on one and attending the C-Vivor group boxing sessions. As Dave is a cancer survivor as well, he brings that special something extra to what would usually be a typical personal training session. He caters to specific needs, keeping the training at a gentle enough level, and he is very talented in his ability to motivate and inspire. Because I had a bone tumour in my knee I still have limited use of my leg. So for me Dave focuses on strengthening the upper body, while spending a short time at the end of each session assisting me with my physiotherapy knee exercises.

Prior to starting my fitness training with Dave, my physio was simply not happening. I was seeing a psychologist and working on the psychological reasons for why I just could not face doing the exercises. Somehow, and I still am not sure how it happened, since attending training sessions with Dave I have finally started a daily physio routine and my leg is improving out of sight. I suppose it could have been his motivating nature, his inspiring example...or maybe the cheeky ultimatum he gave me a few weeks ago!

My last session with Dave was very positive. We did the usual: boxing, weights, arm exercises. But then Dave asked if I'd like to try the rowing machine, as a sort of easy knee exercise. I didn't think it would work, as I can only bend my knee to about 100 degrees now. But I gave it a try, because Dave is usually right when it comes to that sort of thing. I was amazed to see how easily I could do it! I rowed once years ago in a corporate team and I loved it. I was sad when I had my operation to think that I would never again be able to use a rowing machine, among so many other things. I was ecstatic to find out I was mistaken!

Dave recently launched the Live Forever foundation with a body building extravaganza evening and it was a great success. He raised enough money to get the foundation off the ground and I hope that soon I will hear about all the new survivors he is helping. He's made such a difference to my life and I look forward to continuing this blog and letting you all know how I go with my training. It's been a great leg of the journey so far and I know it's just going to get better.

Check out Jasmine's blog here