“While there’s life, there’s hope.“- Cicero
Helene Neville was born in Havertown, Pennsylvania. Raised by her mom, a single parent, she was inspired at a young age by her mother’s ability to persevere even when it seems the odds were against her. Her mother had character, integrity, lived her life with purpose and made a difference in many lives by leading by example. Helene’s commitment to a similar way of life began in fourth grade when she started her lifelong connection to an active lifestyle. Throughout school, Helene found herself committed to athletics that helped her push herself to the next level.
Not unlike her mother, Helene has been a pillar of strength through trials and tribulations. Her mother’s favorite quote was, “It isn’t the load that gets you down; it is how you carry it.” These words resonate through Helene’s mind every day.
Helene began a lifetime of serving others at age eighteen as a coach for the 1978 Burlington International Games in Burlington, Vermont. The next fifteen years, Helene continued to develop her knowledge and skills. She coached multiple sports at elementary, high school, and college levels while studying and practicing nursing. She attended Iowa Western School of Nursing, Iowa State University and New York University.
Helene began her service as a nurse in 1983 in hospitals, nursing homes and other broad environments, including The Iowa Department for Public Health, The US Department of Defense; The Federal Emergency Management Agency; and the Center for Disease Control. Amidst her commitment to her work and patients, she balanced being a mother of two children.
In 1991, Helene unexpectedly became seriously ill. In July 1998, after enduring three brain surgeries, Helene’s doctors told her she would never recover. It was Helene’s persistent attitude that drove her to accomplish one more goal in her life, and she began training to run a 26.2-mile marathon.
Helene entered and completed her first marathon and has completed 25 more since. Among them was the London Marathon, where her finish qualified her to compete in the world famous Boston Marathon. Qualifying for Boston was a proud step for Helene in overcoming her extreme health obstacles.
Helene’s most notable marathon challenge was the Fox Cities Marathon held in Fox Cities, Wisconsin. Helene’s close friend, Don Owens, who lost his sight twenty years earlier, asked Helene if she would help him train to run a marathon. After sixteen weeks of training, Helene and Don completed the marathon together, tethered to each other with a bungee cord.
“I felt honored to have experienced a tremendous goal with my friend. He conquered something many thought was not possible. The smile on his face said it all. Don had will power and determination, I was his visual guide only, his heart and soul got him to the finish line,” Helene said.
In 2000, Helene climbed California’s Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states. Although Helene experienced several health setbacks, it hadn’t stopped her from challenging herself. In honoring a fellow fitness trainer and friend who was suffering from terminal cancer, Helene challenged herself to enter the Midwest All-Natural Bodybuilding competition where she placed second overall and dedicated the challenge to her friend. She has since competed in two additional body building contests.
In 2002, Helene founded the Des Moines Marathon, for which she received the Runner’s World George Sheehan Golden Shoe Award. She also received Des Moines’ Key to the City and Proclamation, the Governors seal for community service and commitment, and was a finalist for the Iowa Star Award.
With her vast understanding of nursing, athletics, business management and her own health issues, Helene has helped others achieve a healthy lifestyle. Using herself as an example, Helene began taking on clients to help them make, and reach, their life goals. Her lifetime in nursing, athletics, business management and health has allowed her to coach and train doctors, nurses, elite athletes, celebrities, and high ranking officials. It is with this experience and knowledge that she decided to write and self publish her first book, Nurses in Shape, a fitness, nutrition and motivational book to help nurses reach higher levels of mental, emotional, and physical wellness for themselves so they may better serve their patients. Helene believes that good health starts with health care practitioners, lending to the book’s mission of empowering nurses to lead by example.
“I believe that inherently everyone wants to do something amazing in life, unfortunately, many of do not know how to generate this feeling of extreme amazement. When nurses live healthy lifestyles, they gain added credibility as health experts,” said Helene.
Helene’s completed her record breaking/record setting run in recording setting heat, her journey, entitled “One on the Run,” (www.oneontherun.com) which began May 1, 2010, was completed on August 1, 2010, 93 days breaking the existing record and establishing a new record.
Helene set foot on a 2,520-mile run on May 1st, 2010 to deliver the essential message of healthy living to health care practitioners in the front line of patient care – nurses – across the country. Neville ran the transcontinental southern route, a route that has only been completed twice, and never before attempted during the hot, humid conditions of summer. Neville is now the first person and first woman ever to complete this course. Neville is also the fastest person to run the southern route at any time of the year.
Undeterred by the vast tracks of desert and the humid conditions, she kept running. Neville she said she drew strength from people who came out to meet her on the road and offered her ice water and hugs or even blessings as she passed.
Neville made several stops along the way at hospitals promoting her health and fitness book, Nurses in Shape, as she ran from Ocean Beach, Calif., to Atlantic Beach, Fla. “My run was not to realize my own dreams, but to help others realize theirs,” says Neville, “The focus of my book is to educate nurses on how to reach higher levels of mental, emotional and physical wellness so that they may better serve their patients.” Neville wants everyone following her journey to know what motivates her. “I have hope and hope implies a certain amount of perseverance, believing that anything is possible even if you have evidence to the contrary.” – Helene
Helene has two sons: Steven and Daniel. When she is not at work, she enjoys running, weight training and mountain biking. Her other hobbies include watching documentaries and researching health and fitness topics.
