![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Army-Col-w-Breast-Cancer-pic-2.jpg.jpg\")
\u201cIt\u2019s very hard going from being a nurse and taking care of people to being the one having to listen to people who are trying to help you. I have to think about what I would tell my patients, and I had to learn to listen to the doctors and nurses now treating me and listen to them.\u201d She was now the patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her message to others in leadership is self- care first. \u201cI would hope by others seeing me that I\u2019m taking this time to take a time out and take care of myself that they would do the same. We are used to the 12- 14 hour days burning the candle at both ends worrying about everyone but ourselves. It\u2019s ok to take care of yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She\u2019s taking care of her physical needs at the SRU and to her surprise she is learning to take care of her mental and spiritual needs too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOne of the biggest things I\u2019ve learned is to be true to myself. What I mean by that is when people ask, \u201cAre you ok? It\u2019s ok to say I\u2019m not ok today. It\u2019s one of the hardest things I\u2019ve had to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The adaptive reconditioning program in the SRU is showing Lewis how to do what she wants to but in an adaptive way. Adaptive sports were very appealing to her and that brought her to the Army adaptive sports camp at Fort Bragg. She made Team Army and is preparing for competition at the 2023 Warrior Games Challenge in June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBeing out here with everyone, the team aspect, the bonding is unbelievable. I am in awe of all these athletes,\u201d says Lewis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While many of the Soldier athletes are enlisted Lewis says this opportunity is a whole new world where the military is concerned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t look at each other\u2019s rank, we are a team out here more like brothers and sisters. We learn from each other. We grow through what we go through and that\u2019s our bond.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She will get her 30 years in the army and will retire at Fort Stewart.\u201d I hope to return as a nurse in the VA or some other civilian capacity to help. I have to help it\u2019s what I do.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":107197,"menu_order":0,"template":"single-native-legacy","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"11"},"advertiser":[3467],"class_list":["post-74243","native","type-native","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","advertiser-warrior-games"],"acf":{"subheadline":"By MaryTherese Griffin","legacy_arc_id":"XP3OZ2LFTJHIFC44QEYEOZH6GA","arc_canonical_url":"\/native\/warrior-games\/2023\/05\/18\/army-colonel-with-breast-cancer-says-its-ok-to-take-a-knee\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"native-no-bottom-ad","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"\n