Cancer - the uninvited, unwanted guest

Mervi, a self-employed pedicurist, tells how cancer smashed her previous life, but how Asahi and Mindfulness put the pieces back together.

“You have breast cancer, and it needs treatment.”

That’s how my breast cancer journey began on Tuesday morning, September 24th, 2019—which also happened to be the first day of the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness Month that year.

This Pink Ribbon has a special meaning for Mervi

I had gone in for a routine screening mammogram on September 9th, 2019, and that’s where they found it. Just a few days later, on the 12th, I got the call: something had shown up and they needed to do more tests. I hadn’t felt any lump myself, but all summer I had been puzzled by itching in my breast, constant fatigue, and a really strange smell to my urine.

My name is Mervi Varjola, and I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 58. Up until then, I’d been completely healthy. I ran my own small pedicure business, and life had been stressful—juggling two business locations, taking care of my aging mother, and keeping up with my family. But business was finally going well. After years of hard work, I had reached a point where I was even considering switching to a four-day workweek.

Even though life was hectic, I hadn’t completely forgotten about exercise. Nordic walking and water running were part of my weekly routine, and I tried out lots of other fun activities too. Sometimes my family and I went on long hikes together. Thanks to that, I still had a decent base level of fitness.

Being in shape physically before her diagnosis was a big advantage for Mervi

After the diagnosis, I went on sick leave at the beginning of October, since my surgery was scheduled for October 21st. I wanted to get my business in order and find someone to cover for me for at least a couple of months. When you’re self-employed and you get sick, your income stops instantly—but your expenses don’t. Rent alone had a three-month termination notice. I remember working like crazy, crying, and lying on the floor in disbelief, repeating over and over again: Why did this happen to me?

But the bad news didn’t stop there. Just two days after my surgery, on October 23rd, 2019, my husband was also diagnosed with cancer. I can still remember screaming as loud as I possibly could when we found out. It was a devastating shock for our whole family. We were, and still are, a very rare couple to both go through cancer diagnoses so close together.

My own cancer journey was brutal: my surgical wound got infected, I developed serious lymphedema in my right arm, chemotherapy wrecked my health, and worst of all, I developed pulmonary fibrosis caused by the chemo. Because of that, my cancer treatment had to be stopped in January 2020 so my lungs wouldn’t be damaged any further. This turned out to have been a medical mistake—my doctor hadn’t properly reviewed my lung X-rays before starting treatment.

Thankfully, my cancer has stayed away. In October 2024, I was officially declared cancer-free. But the pulmonary fibrosis will be with me for the rest of my life. My husband also survived, because his cancer was caught so early.

What really helped me get through everything was Asahi, a Finnish health exercise method. In the spring of 2021, when my pulmonary fibrosis was at its worst, even moving around indoors left me breathless. I knew if I didn’t do something, I’d soon be bedridden and dependent on others. I remembered hearing about Asahi — how it’s all done standing up with no need to get down on the floor, and a friend had spoken highly of it. So I Googled it, found the Asahi Nordic website, and came across Asahi head trainer Risto Lehto. I started following his videos every day.

Mervi getting certified at the Lung Health Association's C-level instructor training with the other trainees and Asahi head trainers (in black) Maarit Lintukorpi and Risto Lehto.

At first, I could barely manage five minutes of Asahi before I had to sit down and rest. But I stuck with it, and after a month, I was able to get through the firstseries from beginning to end. I noticed right away that it helped with the swelling in my right arm. The mastectomy had also left the whole right side of my body stiff because of the tight scar tissue across my chest—Asahi movements started loosening up the stiffness and they are still helping with that. My mood also lifted when I realized I was able to learn a brand new method like this.

The more I practiced, the more I wanted to keep going. Risto’s instructions were excellent, and I can honestly say Asahi is an ingenious form of exercise.

Eventually, I joined a local Asahi group. Because of my lung condition, I had also become active in the Finnish Lung Health Association (Hengitysliitto). In the fall of 2023, they and Asahi Nordic organized a special instructor training. I applied, was accepted, and completed my C-level instructor certification.(The Asahi Nordic Institute offers online teacher training courses. Here is the link:) Encouraged by that, I started my own group in Orimattila in the spring of 2024. That May, I also earned my B-level advanced Asahi certification during an Asahi wellness trip to Rhodes, Greece.

Mervi took part in a week-long Asahi wellness trip to Rhodes, Greece, where Asahi is on the schedule every day at 10 am and 6 pm. The 100-Palm Plaza at the Northern tip of Rhodes provides the perfect place to practice Asahi. People staying in the hotels surrounding the plaza join in from their balconies...

Now I lead two Asahi classes a week and introduce it to local associations and clubs. That’s enough for me—my lungs won’t let me overdo it.

Cancer took away my health and my livelihood, but it did give me a new perspective on life. Without the cancer, I might never have found Asahi, mindfulness, and the wonderful new people I’ve met along the way.

Take care of yourself. Do everything you possibly can for your own well-being. Check your breasts every month, and if something feels off, contact your doctor—don’t wait. And make sure you keep up at least a basic level of fitness, because you’ll need it if you ever face a serious illness.

This is the "boob" cake that Mervi ordered for Pink Ribbon Day this year...

Stay well,

Mervi

Categories: : Asahi and Cancer, Asahi and Finnish Sisu, Asahi as Physical Rehab, Asahi in Life Crises, Asahi teachers' close-ups, Asahi vs. Stress