A diagnosis took his breath away, swimming helped bring it back
Swimming helped Randy Tephabock get through treatments for leukemia. He is now in remission.
By Jenny Harnish & Stephen Baldwin, RealWV
FAIRLEA, WV – “If you keep a good mindset and keep your body in good shape, it helps you to overcome things.” Randy Tephabock shares that observation from personal experience.
“I started feeling a little tired,” he remembers. “So I went to a doctor and got a blood test and finally got the diagnosis that I had leukemia.”
“Shocking,” Randy recalls, as he had always worked hard to maintain his health through a proper diet and exercise.
“I asked my doctor, ‘Can I continue to exercise while I’m getting my treatments?’”
“He said, ‘Well sure, in fact it would be helpful.’”
“So that’s what I did. I continued to swim. Not as good as I used to,” he chuckles.
One year later, Randy’s doctor told him he was in remission from leukemia. He stayed active throughout his treatments and recovery, often swimming at the Greenbrier Valley Aquatic Center for exercise.
“It helped me keep my mind off of what was going on with the treatment and everything,” he shares.
Greenbrier Valley Aquatic Center
Randy is one of 472 members of the Greenbrier Valley Aquatic Center (GVAC), a nonprofit wellness facility located in Fairlea, WV. The facility opened in 2022 as a means to provide local citizens with year-round opportunities for physical activity. It includes a fitness center, a competition swimming pool, a therapy pool, a recreation pool, and an outdoor splash pad.
“Randy and his wife are a good example of our members,” says Brittany Polcaro, Executive Director of GVAC. “He came to swim, and then his wife started coming when she found out about our fitness area.”
Brittany says GVAC sees many of the same faces each day, with folks coming from across the region for individual swimming, classes, and wellness opportunities.
“Some members come the same time every day,” she shares. “One group of ladies comes at the same time each day to swim together.”
She adds that the classes offered by GVAC, including aquatics classes and arthritis classes attract a significant number of people.
“A lot of people don’t know about our scholarship program,” she says. “We use a sliding income scale which can cover 20-80% of the membership cost. So that makes it more affordable for people.”
Follow this link for membership info.
GVAC also offers day passes, which Brittany says go fast during the summer and around holidays. “We want as many people as possible to utilize this unique facility.”
The aquatic center aims to increase total membership to 700 in order to have a sustainable revenue base for operations. Randy hopes others will take advantage of the local wellness facility, as he has.
“You get 70, you get arthritis and things like that,” Randy shares. “I didn’t have the energy I used to. But for me, swimming is relaxing. You just get in that water, put your mind somewhere, and just do it.”
Located at 896 Maplewood Ave, Lewisburg, WV, GVAC is across from the State Fair of West Virginia off Rt 219.
