For months, Allison knew something was not right. She had persistent back pain that would not go away and suffered one upper respiratory infection after another. She was exhausted in a way that felt different from the normal fatigue of parenting young children, sleeping through things she would never have before.

When she finally got answers, the diagnosis was both alarming and illuminating. Allison had multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer, along with a broken spine and broken ribs. She had not been imagining her symptoms. Something had been wrong all along.

“I think getting a cancer diagnosis is absolutely terrifying,” Allison said. “For me, it was also a relief.”

The path to recovery led her to CU Sports Medicine and Performance Center, where she began working with Sherrie Ballantine-Talmadge, DO, and a physical therapist named Pam. For Dr. Ballantine, Allison’s case reinforced something she emphasizes when teaching medical students.

“I use her story when I’m teaching to show how important it is to listen to your patients,” Ballantine said. “All she needed early on was an X-ray and by the time she got her X-ray, her cancer had been eating away at her bones.”

The care team focused on helping Allison safely rebuild strength, improve bone health and regain confidence in her body. They also connected her with specialists to support her long-term bone health after cancer treatment. Research continues to show that staying active during and after cancer treatment can improve outcomes, and for Dr. Ballantine, that means helping patients find a path forward that fits their goals.

“Working with Dr. Ballantine and Pam has been the thing that has kept me moving forward,” Allison said. “It has allowed me to push in so many directions I never thought were possible.”

Allison started small and built steadily, eventually climbing Grays Peak, a Colorado mountain that tops 14,000 feet in elevation. That accomplishment opened the door to something even larger: a fundraising climb of Mount Kilimanjaro alongside other patients and caregivers. Throughout her recovery, she kept her two children in mind.

“I wanted them to see that people can do hard things in the face of uncertainty,” she said.

Now, just weeks away from walking the Camino de Santiago, a centuries-old pilgrimage route spanning hundreds of miles across northern Spain, Allison is preparing for one of the most demanding trails in the world. Her latest appointment at CU Sports Medicine and Performance Center consisted of working with Dr. Ballantine and Pam on fitting her backpack and building a plan for the trail ahead. Together, they have worked through the demands the journey will place on her body. Every detail matters, from how the pack rests against her back to how her shoulders will respond to hours on the trail.

For Allison, the Camino represents more than a physical challenge. It is a reflection of everything she has rebuilt over the past several years, including her strength, her trust in her body and her willingness to keep moving forward even without guarantees. The same approach that carried her through diagnosis, treatment and recovery is carrying her forward now. One step at a time.

To learn about Dr. Sherrie Ballantine-Talmadge and schedule an appointment at CU Sports Medicine and Performance Center, call (303) 315-9900.