After being diagnosed with lupus, Regan’s world changed.

Her lupus was affecting her kidneys, and she was told she would have to take 2.5 years of chemotherapy. “Many, many times during that time I wanted to quit. The medication was too hard to handle. But the love and support of my loved ones helped me keep moving forward” said Regan.

Regan wants to encourage everyone to know that there is power in healing, and power in receiving help.

One day Regan’s sister suggested she try exercising. So she did. It was tough, and Regan couldn’t perform a rudimentary squat. The pain was too great.

But she discovered that in moving her body weight, she could perform the squat:  and Regan MOVES was created.

Sometimes just one person can change the trajectory of a life.

Regan used her engineering degree to decrease torque in her movements. It opened up a world of possibilities. It took the exercises from being near-impossible to being entirely doable.

Over time Regan realized that repeatability is the key.

Her message is “Easy is Effective”. If we can discover one key element that we can repeat, we will be able to master it.

And mastering ourselves and our emotions and actions helps elevate others.

It’s about those around us.

Regan began her career as an engineer and patent agent. “Being an engineer is still part of my identity, and I use what I learned all the time. I’m so grateful for that.”

She switched directions once her world was opened up by regaining physical movement.

“My passions spoke to me, like they speak to so many of us – and I began to seek what gave me joy.”

Regan wishes to share that message with others.

Soon after discovering ways to implement movement, Regan obtained her fitness certification and started teaching Regan MOVES. 10+ years later, it’s going strong.

She is also a motivational coach. She wants to share with others how she worked through the emotional and physical aspects of a diagnosis. She helps people gain hope again.

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Regan is the founder and executive director of the Lupus Research Foundation (LRF) in Minnesota. She has served on the board of the Lupus Foundation of Colorado and worked with the Lupus Foundation of Northern California.

She lives with her husband, Todd in Minnesota. Regan is a musician and national anthem soloist, and has had the honor of speaking to many groups across the U.S.

“You have the ability to empower yourself, feel better, and change your life.

I truly believe that, because it happened to me.

For 2.5 years, I was on chemotherapy to treat systemic lupus. At one point, I needed a cane just to get up the stairs. I lived with constant fatigue and pain that kept me up at night. Today, I’m able to teach exercise classes, compete in curling at the national level, and run two businesses—proof that healing can take many forms, and that empowerment is possible.

Overcoming limitations is a testament to the power of movement:  physical movement, yes, and also movement within our hearts and minds. It’s a testament to the strength of the community we build together – and the hope and fire within each of us that lifts us up individually, and lifts one another.

I see my work as helping people find their joy by bringing out their personal power. In sharing the thinking patterns and techniques I used to help me get better – both physically and emotionally – I help the audience tap into their own stories of triumph.

We all have the power to feel joy and discover our own sense of freedom.

As we move through challenges and step into that freedom, our energy grows. We’re better able to show up fully for one another. That good energy ripples outward, and weaves magic between us.

Your light matters. And when you shine, you help others shine too.

It starts with you.”

-Regan