Battered by cancer and chemo, 65-year-old Calgary man rebuilds body

A Calgary senior debilitated by chemo treatments says hitting the gym helped him regain his body and prepare for the next round of care. 

Terminal cancer spread from Alan Morrison's prostate to his lymph nodes, groin, stomach and chest.

"Every time they did a CT scan, they found more cancer," he said. 

Doctors put him on an 18-week intensive chemotherapy treatment, which left Morrison with no appetite, low energy, pain and even paralysis in his hands and feet.

"That was about the most difficult thing in my life," Morrison said.

After his first round of treatment, Morrison was given three weeks to rest and recuperate. He was so weak he couldn't bend over and tie his shoes without losing his breath.

Convinced that the next bout of chemo would kill him, he looked to the gym to reclaim his body. 

'A new person again'

Curtis Gillespie, his personal trainer, began working with Morrison four months ago.

"When I came in to see Curtis, I was dying," said Morrison. 

Prior to any strength training, Gillespie put Morrison on a meal plan designed to improve his strength and metabolism. Then they hit the weights.

"After a week I was feeling a bit better. Two weeks, I was feeling a lot better. After a month, hell, I was all better," Morrison said.

Now, Morrison is hitting the gym 6 days a week for high-intensity interval training, dancing and yoga.

"Here I am four months later, like I'm a new person again."

With files from Justin Pennell and CBC Calgary News at 6