“Enrolling in the Professional Fitness Trainer program at Branford Hall was a positive step for my career."
Ken Pabst was a senior in high school when he was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer, a rare disease in which cancer cells form behind the nose and in the upper part of the throat. At age 17, Ken was active and athletic, and this diagnosis was the last thing he expected.
“I was starting my senior year of high school when I got the diagnosis. The chemotherapy and radiation treatments were so hard on my body that I had to repeat a year in school.” Ken’s courage and strength helped him through the treatments. “On Christmas day in 2004, I found out I was free of cancer. Now I am 23 years old, and going on seven years cancer free,” Ken explained.
Before his cancer diagnosis, Ken had an active lifestyle. “I was really into exercise and fitness before I was diagnosed,” Ken said, “Starting out strong and healthy helped me beat my illness. So when I thought about my future career, I knew I wanted to find a way to encourage others to get and stay healthy too, just in case anything like this would happen to them.”
With this goal in mind, Ken decided to enroll in Branford Hall Career Institute’s Professional Fitness Trainer program in Southington, CT. “At Branford Hall, the program was very focused on only the topics and skills I needed to become a fitness trainer. The teachers were great. They were always helpful with anything I needed,” Ken expressed.
After graduation, Ken found a position as a performance coach at Parisi Speed School. Parisi is an organization that helps athletes of any ability to improve their athletic performance and self-confidence. “I work with athletes as young as seven years old, and as old as college-level. Part of the Parisi philosophy is to help these athletes get faster and stronger, as well as to build self-confidence in both their athletic abilities and in their general lives,” Ken explained. “I help them with running techniques and weight lifting, and focus on getting positive results while avoiding injuries.”
Branford Hall is proud of Ken’s accomplishments and courage. He will continue to inspire others for years to come.
What Ken says about Branford Hall: “Enrolling in the Professional Fitness Trainer program at Branford Hall was a positive step for my career. I learned about exercise, wellness, and nutrition. I share this information with my clients, and I try to follow it myself, so that I keep up my own health and wellness.”