Workouts Helped Kenneth Hopson’s Cancer Battle, Now He’s Opened a Gym for Others

Kenneth Hopson credits gym workouts for helping alleviate his stress as a cancer survivor.

In turn, he has opened a gym to assist others in pursuing wellness. "It's not easy to get over this, it's not easy at all. So when you help someone and help them understand, you've been through this," Hopson told ABC7NY.

The gym he opened in New Jersey, Body Sculptors, is more than a place to pump iron; it's about total wellness. New members receive a full body scan, providing them with a roadmap to improve their health and wellbeing during their workout.

"Anything that causes you any type of stress, when you walk through this door this is supposed to be your deep breath," Hopson stated to the station.

Hopson's journey began 13 years ago when he started losing weight for unknown reasons.

"My doctor did a scope on me and when he did a scope and with my blood work he said that there were some abnormalities," he said.

Upon a closer look, the doctor discovered cysts in his stomach lining, leading to a stomach cancer diagnosis that forced him to reconsider his lifestyle. "I ignored eating right. I took living for granted," he confessed.

Hopson now applies the lessons he learned from overcoming cancer to his work at Body Sculptors.

"You're supposed to come through this door and leave all the other stuff outside," Hopson said.