Virtual Zumba session will benefit breast cancer nonprofit

When Jocelyn Blystone of McMurray was diagnosed with breast cancer a little less than three years ago, the 33-year-old Zumba instructor found a tremendous amount of support in the community of people attending her classes.

“They really rallied around me, and we decided to put this hobby to good use,” said Blystone, who is hosting the fifth semi-annual dance benefit for the nonprofit-based Glimmer of Hope on Sunday. “Last year we had 116 dancers,” she said. “I usually would do two of these in October and then two more in the spring. We’d come and dance for a couple of hours, and then we’d do raffles, giveaways and other things.”

Health and safety concerns prevented that, and so the group will be Zooming their afternoon of Zumba in a virtual format this year.

“I’ve actually been teaching in this format since quarantine started,” Blystone said. “I’ve taught more than 100 classes like this, but this will be one for a good cause.”

Amy Sullivan of Whitehall has been one of Blystone’s Zumba students for the past three years. Her love of baking has led her to provide the post-dance cookies during the first two benefit events. This year, however, Sullivan won’t get the chance to undo everyone’s exercise with a cookie table.

“Any excuse for me to bake them where they don’t stay in my house is great,” Sullivan said with a laugh.

She said Blystone sets the perfect example.

“She’s just so inspirational,” said Sullivan, who lost her mother to breast cancer. “She taught class all through her cancer treatments. I mean, there’s no reason I can’t go to the gym if she’s still going through chemotherapy.”

The benefit dances have raised more than $17,000 in the past two years, and Blystone said this year’s event will put them over the $20,000 mark.

She credited Glimmer of Hope founder Diana Napper with inspiring her.

“I met Diana very early on, and it’s really nice to be able to give back and support the organization that’s supporting so many young women,” she said.

Register for Sunday’s dance fundraiser at Bit.ly/3nyDD4V.