About Us
Heidi K. Slansky, Founder & CEO
Cancer StrongHER was born from lived experience—the kind that changes everything.
When Founder and CEO Heidi Slansky was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2013, she quickly discovered that surviving cancer required far more than just medical treatment. While her care team worked to save her life, she found herself facing a different battle entirely: rebuilding her strength, reclaiming her identity, and navigating the emotional toll of survivorship.
Like many women, Heidi was told to “rest” and “take it easy.” But deep down, she knew that movement—physical, mental, and emotional—was going to be essential to her healing. What she didn’t know was where to find it.
There were few, if any, programs specifically designed to help female cancer survivors safely return to fitness. There were no clear pathways to rebuild strength, no welcoming spaces to move alongside others who truly understood the journey, and no community centered around thriving—not just surviving.
So Heidi created one.
In 2018, Cancer StrongHER began with a single monthly fitness boxing class—a space where women could rebuild, regain strength, and begin again. What started as one class quickly revealed something much deeper: survivors weren’t just looking for exercise—they were searching for connection, empowerment, and a way forward.
From that one class, a movement was born.
Today, Cancer StrongHER offers 3–4 classes each week along with retreats, programs, and community outings—all completely free for female cancer survivors across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. From yoga and tennis to pickleball, boxing, Pilates, dancing, hiking, and more, every offering is designed to support healing in body, mind, and spirit.
But the impact goes far beyond physical fitness.
Survivors are not only regaining strength—they are rediscovering confidence, connection, and joy. Cancer StrongHER creates a space where women feel seen, supported, and understood without needing to explain their experience. It’s a place where scars are not hidden, but honored. Where fear is replaced with empowerment. And where community becomes a critical part of healing. It is about transforming survivorship from something you endure into something you actively reclaim.
What started as one woman’s response to a gap in survivorship care has grown into a thriving nonprofit serving women across the community—offering hundreds of free classes each year, hosting retreats, and building a powerful network of survivors who lift each other up.
Cancer StrongHER exists because survivorship deserves more.
More support.
More strength.
More connection.
More life.
And every class, every program, and every woman who walks through the door is a reminder of why Cancer StrongHER exists—to help survivors not just live, but truly thrive and Find Their Fight™.
Our founding story and where we are headed
Discover the Story Behind Cancer StrongHER
Cancer StrongHER Founder & CEO, Heidi Slansky, sits down with Gal on the Prowl podcaster Jessica Spawn. Slansky shares the story behind Cancer StrongHER—how it began, where it's headed, and the deeply personal journey that shaped it all. From her own breast cancer diagnosis to building a community that empowers women to rebuild strength—physically and emotionally—this conversation is close to the heart of Cancer StrongHER.
If you’ve ever wondered how Cancer StrongHER came to be, or if you’re walking your own path through cancer, we hope this resonates with you.
Our Impact By the Numbers
💗 100% Free
Every class, program, retreat, and outing—always free for survivors
👭 250+ Survivors Served
Supporting women across the Dallas-Fort Worth community since 2018
📅 3–4 Classes Weekly
Consistent opportunities to move, heal, and connect
🏋️♀️ 129 Classes in 2025
A record-breaking year of impact for sure, but we are on our way to offering nearly 200 classes in 2026
🌟 1 Powerful Community
Serving female cancer survivors across the Dallas-Fort Worth area
🎾 Multiple Program Offerings
From yoga to tennis and pickleball, to hiking, Pilates, dance, boxing and much more
🏕️ Retreat Experiences
Providing deeper healing, connection, and restoration
Our mission
Cancer doesn’t end when treatment does.
For many survivors, the hardest part begins after—when the structure of care fades and they are left to rebuild their strength, confidence, and sense of self.
Without support, this phase can feel isolating and overwhelming.
Cancer StrongHER exists to change that.
Through free, accessible fitness and community-based programs, we remove barriers and create a space where survivors can safely rebuild their bodies, reconnect with themselves, and find strength in one another.
Because movement is more than physical.
It’s emotional.
It’s mental.
It’s transformational.
And when women are given the tools, support, and community they need—they don’t just recover.
They rise.
Our Partners
MORE About Us
How We're Helping
Cancer StrongHER promotes an active lifestyle for female survivors of all types of cancer through restorative retreats, tennis, yoga, Pickleball, rowing, Pilates, fitness boxing, FitCamp and other activities that are free-of-charge to all participants. The fight against cancer does not stop with the last drip of chemotherapy, the last zap of radiation, or the last stitch from surgery and neither should support for these women. Cancer StrongHER helps survivors regain and maintain their strength to keep our cancer community "fight ready!"
Get Involved
- Are you a female cancer survivor? We would love to meet you and have you join in our activities. They are free!
- Do you know a survivor with a fighting spirit or who could use the support of an active community? Help us get the word out!
- Are you passionate about what we're doing? Let us know and get involved.
- We are always looking for sponsors and volunteers to help us make our mission a reality. We'll help you find a way to support Cancer StrongHER in a way that best suits you. We're excited to have you join the team!
Thank You
Survivorship is a lifelong state-of-mind for our fighters. Whether you help our cancer survivors through monetary donations, volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you.