There are seasons in life that feel like invitations — the kind you never would’ve asked for, but somehow still shape you into someone stronger, softer, more awake. For Michelle Barnowsky, this past year has been exactly that.
A season of courage.
A season of rebuilding.
A season of choosing life with her whole heart.

Today, we celebrate one year of Michelle being WELL.
One year of her body healing.
One year of her spirit expanding.
One year of watching her return to strength, day by day, decision by decision.

And for those who know Michelle, none of this comes as a surprise.

She is tenacious.
She is playful.
She is brilliant.
She is the kind of woman whose will to live fully inspires all of us to raise our standards for how we care for our own bodies.

A Discovery That Changed Everything

Michelle’s journey started not with her pancreas — but with pain in her tailbone.

A routine CT scan — meant to explain that pain — revealed something else entirely: a cyst on the head of her pancreas. The diagnosis: high-grade dysplasia, a precancerous condition. The next phase would almost certainly turn into pancreatic cancer.

For Michelle, this news landed like a shock but not a stranger. Her father died of pancreatic cancer only four months after diagnosis. Her grandmother survived one year. Receiving this news felt like someone had pressed pause on her entire life.

And yet — Michelle became curious.

That’s Michelle: when faced with fear, she turns toward it. She learns. She questions. She gathers a team. She builds strength around the places that feel fragile.

She spoke with multiple surgeons (because the healthcare maze doesn’t stop even during life-altering moments). Ultimately, she chose her surgeon from a second-opinion visit — a choice that would matter more than she knew.

At the same time, she began collaborating with Nurse Practitioner Terra Hartman, owner of Genesis Integrative Medicine. Together, they created a plan that included high-dose vitamin C infusions, targeted supplements, and deep nourishment to prepare her body for what was ahead.

Preparing Her Body. Honoring Her Life.

Six months before the surgery, Michelle changed everything:

• No alcohol
• No processed foods
• Daily vitamins and IV infusions
• Whole-food meals she prepared herself
• Steamed veggies, juices, nutrient-dense meals — prepped every single Sunday

She eliminated anything that didn’t support her health.
She protected her energy.
She slept.
She strengthened.
She nourished.

She became — even more than she already was — one of the most well-nourished humans we’ve ever known.

The Surgery That Saved Her Life

The Whipple procedure is one of the most complex surgeries performed today. Michelle was told to expect an 8-hour surgery.

After only 3.5 hours, her surgeon walked into the waiting room.

Her husband, Chuck, panicked — thinking something was wrong.

But instead, the surgeon said:
“I wish all my patients were like Michelle.”

The months she spent preparing gave her a resilience that showed up on the operating table.

Healing With Strength, Humor, and Stubbornness

Michelle’s hospital stay was only 5 days (most patients stay 10–14).

But the food? Highly processed. Low nutrient.
When Michelle questioned it, a nurse told her to “buck up and eat.”
(Those words would not age well.)

So Chuck brought her the food she had prepared at home.

Michelle walked 10 minutes every hour, and a nurse had to accompany her.
That same nurse — winded, sweating, trying to keep up — eventually got her own “buck up” moment from Michelle.

Returning Home — Where the Real Work Began

It was only a few days after returning home that Michelle started walking on her treadmill.

Walking meant healing — so she walked several times a day.
But in the beginning, it was humbling:

• 1 minute
• then 1.5 minutes
• slowly increasing until she could walk the distance of a mile

What began with tiny increments became strength reclaimed, step by step.

Today, she walks wearing a 20-pound weighted vest — because that’s who Michelle is.

And just five months post-surgery, she completed the 22-mile “Walk to Mary” pilgrimage.
A feat that left everyone around her stunned — but not surprised.

Returning to Juniper — Slow, Brave, and Determined

When Michelle first returned to Juniper, she couldn’t open our door.
She couldn’t tie her shoes for 8 weeks.
She couldn’t clear her throat without pain.

Her core had been cut, repaired, and rerouted. The healing was long. The scars are real.

Yet she showed up — slowly, bravely — and rebuilt her body from the inside out.

Today, she often opens that heavy Juniper door for her clients, a milestone marker of how far she’s come.

Michelle Today: Stronger. Softer. More Alive Than Ever

Michelle now leads Healing Strong at Genesis Integrative Medicine — a support group for individuals navigating cancer and chronic illness. Every month, she helps others rebuild their bodies, renew their souls, and refresh their spirits.

She trains early mornings before coaching our 6 a.m. strength classes.
She preps nutrients with focused consistency.
She works with clients in personal training, strength classes, electric exercise with the NEUBIE, as well as vitality care services with Winback TECAR therapy.

She lives the mission of Juniper:

Feel better.
Move stronger.
Live fully.

Staying active has been a gift to Michelle — and to our community.

She shows us all what’s possible when a human decides to advocate fiercely for their own wellness.

A Celebration of One Year of Life. One Year of Strength. One Year of Michelle.

We are endlessly proud of her.
Endlessly inspired by her.
Endlessly grateful that she is part of our Juniper care team.

Michelle — thank you for being a lighthouse of nourishment and tenacity.
Thank you for showing us what strength looks like in real life.
Thank you for reminding us that our bodies are capable of incredible things.

Here’s to the next year — and the next.
Rooted in strength. Surrounded by community.
Living fully.