Thanksgiving Morning Workout to Aid Natick Native Battling Breast Cancer

Posted by Susan Petroni 

Even before the sun rises on Thanksgiving Day, scores of women (and men) plan to work out hard for 60 minutes in Framingham to raise money for two working moms battling breast cancer.

Starting at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 28, the 4th Annual MetroWest Bootcamp Thanksgiving Day Fundraiser takes place. Participants will pay $20 each to participate in a fun, kick-butt, one-hour workout with friends at the Mass Ballet Studios, at 2 Watson Place in Saxonville.

"All the money we raise on Thanksgiving will go to Jess Ward from Ashland and Caryn Grozalsky of Framingham," said Kristen Houlker of MetroWest Bootcamp in Framingham.  "They are both young working mothers with these terrible stories of their worlds being rocked by breast cancer."

Last December, Caryn Grozalsky, a Weston teacher and Framingham mom of two girls, was diagnosed with non-invasive ductal carcinoma in situ, a Stage 0 breast cancer.  

Quickly, it turned to Stage 2 breast cancer after two tumors were found during her mastectomy.  Soon afterwards, the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes.  

"Caryn has had a long year of treatments and surgeries, and continues to fight hard against this horrible disease," said Houlker. "Caryn is determined and strong willed and is eager to get her life and freedom back. We are so happy to have found such an amazing and deserving woman." 

Grozalsky's sister works out with MetroWest Bootcamp.

She is one of the two women, others will be working out on Thanksgiving morning to help.

The other is Jessica Ward, an Ashland mom, who grew up in Natick.

In July, Ward found a lump the size of a lemon in her breast. Her initial diagnosis was Stage 2b breast cancer, but the cancer is an aggressive form and quickly spread to her liver.  

Ward is now battling Stage 4 cancer and is undergoing some really intensive chemo treatments.

With the support of her daughter Hannah, 5 and Izzy, 3, and her boyfriend, Scott, "she has such a positive outlook and amazing attitude, and we are so honored to have crossed paths with her," said Houlker.

If you can't imagine getting up before dawn to work out, but still want to help either woman, donations are being accepted at this link.

And if you still have energy after the MetroWest Bootcamp workout Thanksgiving morning, the owners encourage you to join them at the Framingham Turkey Classic 5K race starting at the police station at 8 a.m. The 3.1 mile road race is sold out, but there is no reason you can not run just for fun!

By the way, sunrise on Thanksgiving morning is expected to be at 7:04 a.m.