University of Northern Colorado Cancer Rehabilitation Institute

09/19/2025

07/09/2025

"A champion is simply someone who did not give up when they wanted to."--Tom Landry

We had a building FULL of champions this morning working hard and getting stronger! There is no BREAK in Summer Break for these Cancer Exercise Specialists, they are doing their thing... building up champions!!

06/11/2025

Another great group of interns! Team bonding over some pickleball on this beautiful Colorado day!

05/22/2025

Christmas came early to UNCCRI! We got a much needed upgrade that will allow our patients to work out on these top of the line treadmills. A big thanks to all those who have graciously donated to the Institute, your generosity allowed us to make this happen! And a big shout out to UNC's Facilities Management (Moving & Electrical) and Parking Services who made this big job run unbelievably smooth! University of Northern Colorado, UNC

05/07/2025

That’s a wrap on the Spring 2025 semester! We are so grateful for each and every one of these brilliant minds coming with such passion to selflessly impact the lives of our cancer survivors at UNCCRI.

Spring Cancer Exercise Specialists,
While we hate to see you go, we wish each of you the very best in your future careers and prosperous futures. We can’t thank you enough for every single hour you have poured into the success of this facility and patients. You have truly impacted not only our patients, but also the staff and each other. Go do great things and never let go of the level of compassion you’ve had during your time here.

05/05/2025

Q&A with Rocky, one of our 3 Cancer Exercise Specialists from CSU!

Q: Where are you from?
A: Columbus, GA

Q: What’s a fun fact about you?
A: I can bench press more than twice my body weight.

Q: Why did you choose to become a part of the UNC Cancer Rehabilitation Institute?
A: The palpable enthusiasm I saw when meeting the employees gave me confidence that the clinic would be a constructive and friendly environment to learn and develop in.

Q: What have you enjoyed the most about your experience?
A: I enjoy getting to know patients and coworkers, and forming bonds through shared experience. It feels like I’m making a genuine impact in peoples’ lives.

Q: How will your experience at the UNC Cancer Rehabilitation Institute impact your future career?
A: This experience has taught me to assess individuals, and develop a routine to match their desired outcomes while addressing unique limitations each patient experiences. I have learned to be more attentive and improved my ability to solve problems quickly.

05/02/2025

Meet Adelaide!

Q: Where are you from?
A: Las Vegas

Q: What’s a fun fact about you?
A: I like to rock climb.

Q: Why did you choose to become a part of the UNC Cancer Rehabilitation Institute?
A: Cancer is something that you can not control, and I think educating patients on ways to mitigate the effects of treatment and the cancer itself such as exercise gives them their sense of control back. I just wanted to be a part of that.

Q: What have you enjoyed the most about your experience?
A: I enjoy watching patients learn how to correct their form on their own because that means they are understanding how the movement should feel. I love when a patient tells me that they like an exercise that I give them as well as seeing them progress on the more challenging ones.

Q: How will your experience at the UNC Cancer Rehabilitation Institute impact your future career?
A: My experience here has taught me so much about how I work and what environments I work best in. Through this experience I have become more confidant in my ability to learn things very quickly going from no experience in this area to a lot of applicable skills that I can use in future jobs.

04/30/2025

Introducing Hayden!

Q: Where are you from?
A: Castle Rock, CO

Q: What’s a fun fact about you?
A: The mountains are my favorite place to go.

Q: Why did you choose to become a part of the UNC Cancer Rehabilitation Institute?
A: I chose to become a part of UNCCRI because of the reputation I had heard about from other previous interns and people close to the program. This seemed to be a program full of great people who really cared about making a difference in people’s lives while also learning a lot, and that’s exactly what I was looking for in an internship.

Q: What have you enjoyed the most about your experience?
A: I’ve really enjoyed forming relationships with my patients and hearing about how important this program and our work here has been to them. Just getting to see the difference it all can make in people’s lives is very special and rewarding.

Q: How will your experience at the UNC Cancer Rehabilitation Institute impact your future career?
A: My experience here has taught me a lot about forming meaning relationships and how not to take any of it for granted. It’s a blessing to be able to serve people and help them in ways that they may not be able to help themselves and I can’t wait to take that and all the knowledge I’ve gain from working here into my future career.

04/28/2025

Meet Ally, another specialist from CSU!

Q: Where are you from?
A: Laredo, TX

Q: What’s a fun fact about you?
A: I grew up in a town where “y’all” and “¿qué onda?” are in the same sentence, tacos are a love language, and my Spanglish is so fluent I confuse google translate.

Q: Why did you choose to become a part of the UNC Cancer Rehabilitation Institute?
A: I attend CSU in Fort Collins, and we were lucky to have representatives from this program speak at a business panel on campus. Immediately I was drawn in, asking questions, taking notes, and ended up making a quick connection that stuck with me. That’s when I knew I needed to pursue the opportunity and become involved with the institute.

Q: What have you enjoyed the most about your experience?
A: Seeing clients regain their independence - like building the strength to go from being fully dependent on a walker to just using a cane or helping a paraplegic client find creative ways to stimulate the legs and nerves to the point where there’s now sensation in parts where there previously hadn’t been. Being part of that kind of progress, no matter how small, has been incredibly rewarding.

Q: How will your experience at the UNC Cancer Rehabilitation Institute impact your future career?
A: Working closely with clients has sparked a deeper curiosity about the science driving their progress. This experience has helped shape the kind of professional I want to be - someone who understands the power of movement, thinks critically, adapts creatively, and communicates with empathy through physical and emotional challenges.

04/25/2025

Introducing Tim!

Q: Where are you from?
A: Greeley, CO

Q: What’s a fun fact about you?
A: I enjoy both origami and playing ice hockey, but not at the same time (paper and ice don’t mix too well). Whether I’m folding a complex tessellation, modular design, or skating hard on the rink, I enjoy activities that challenge me in different ways.

Q: Why did you choose to become a part of the UNC Cancer Rehabilitation Institute?
A: I was drawn to the UNCCRI because it aligned with my passion for using movement and exercise as medicine. I wanted to gain more experience in this field and learn how to support individuals facing cancer in a meaningful, evidence-based way. The UNCCRI stood out as a place where I could grow both personally and professionally.

Q: What have you enjoyed the most about your experience?
A: I’ve really enjoyed the hands-on experience and the opportunity to get to know so many amazing individuals—both coworkers and patients. I’ve enjoyed learning and conducting the many different physiological assessments, as well as seeing first-hand how tailored exercise interventions can make a substantial difference in their lives, which has been incredibly motivating. Plus, learning and working with a team that’s so knowledgeable and encouraging has made every day worth it.

Q: How will your experience at the UNC Cancer Rehabilitation Institute impact your future career?
A: This experience here at the UNCCRI has deepened my passion for physical therapy and strengthened my desire to not only work in cancer rehab, but also to show everyone just how impactful movement and exercise is (after all, movement is medicine). It’s helped me develop practical skills and confidence, and it’s motivated me to also continue my education through certifications like the Clinical Cancer Exercise Specialist, CSCS, and NASM CES so I can better serve many others in the future.

04/23/2025

Meet Tesamicheal!

Q: Where are you from?
A: I was born in Ethiopia. I live in Denver, Colorado.

Q: What’s a fun fact about you?
A: I’ve gone skydiving few times this year so far.

Q: Why did you choose to become a part of the UNC Cancer Rehabilitation Institute?
A: I wanted to make a real impact in people’s lives through exercise and rehabilitation. Helping cancer patients regain strength and improve their quality of life felt like a meaningful way to combine my passion for fitness with healthcare.

Q: What have you enjoyed the most about your experience?
A: Seeing patients make progress—whether it’s regaining mobility, reducing pain, or simply feeling more confident in their bodies again. It’s rewarding to know that the work I do helps them reclaim parts of their lives.

Q: How will your experience at the UNC Cancer Rehabilitation Institute impact your future career?
A: It’s reinforced my passion for working in sports and rehabilitation. Whether I end up helping athletes or patients, I’ll always prioritize injury prevention, recovery, and performance optimization. Plus, the hands-on experience has strengthened my ability to create effective, individualized exercise programs.