Bravery and bungee: How a North Texas woman found strength through exercise classes
FORT WORTH – There's an eye-catching workout many have seen while scrolling social media, called bungee exercise.
Some may say it looks easy, though one North Texas woman proves it takes grit.
It all began with the owner of BungeeOne Studios in Forth Worth, Lauren DeRosa.
"This started popping up on my social media feeds like everybody else," she said.
With a background in gymnastics, cheer and choreography, she wanted to find a way to get back in the air, and this was it.
"It encompassed all the things I used to be able to do without pain, and I wanted to share it," she said. "I wanted to bring it to my area. The low impact of this is unique. What we do in bungee is great for those that are looking for an alternative way to recover, or even to prep themselves for something upcoming."
That's exactly what Julia Stocker did. She's a tiny but mighty member of BungeeOne.
"Oh, that looks like fun!" Stocker said when she first saw the classes on social media. "I could do that."
It quickly became her every day until she received a devastating call on the way to class.
"You think everything is going to be great like it normally is, and then it isn't," she said.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was in the early stages, though at 64 years old, she decided a double mastectomy was her best choice.
For the class before her surgery, Stocker's friends made headbands that said 'tata to the tatas.'
"This isn't just work out, it's community," said Stocker. "We are like a little family."
Three months later, she was back in class, with a reminder to keep moving.
"When I went into surgery, I had a ton of muscle, especially from core," she said. "Everybody should incorporate some exercise into their routine. Do your mammograms. Be smart about it."
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and some Dallas-Fort Worth area hospitals and clinics are offering free mammograms for qualifying patients.
Parkland Health in Dallas offers no-cost screening mammograms for women in Dallas County who are 40 to 74 years old and have not had a mammogram in the last year.
Tuesday, October 29
Moody Center for Breast Health
5151 Maple Ave.
Dallas, 75235
7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Register here
Saturday, October 12
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Vickery Meadow Youth Foundation
7110 Holly Hill Dr.
Dallas, TX 75231
Montcrief Cancer Institute in Fort Worth provides free mammograms for women ages 40 to 74 who qualify. Women must call 817.288.9970 to make an appointment.
Wednesday, October 9:
Ronan Apartments
3056 Commodore Dr.
Grand Prairie, TX 75052
Saturday, October 12
North Side High School
2211 McKinley Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 76164
Tuesday, October 15
Beth Eden Baptist Church
3208 Wilbarger St.
Fort Worth, TX 76119
Saturday, October 19
Forest Hill Church of Christ
3916 Forest Hill Cir.
Forest Hill, TX 76140