Danielle Koplinsky, a full-time fitness trainer from River Oaks, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the height of her career. But that didn’t stop her.
She’s riding the Texas MS 150 marathon cycling this weekend in an effort to inspire and create more awareness of the disease throughout Houston.
The Texas MS 150 takes off from Houston on Saturday, April 30, and continues to College Station on Sunday, May 1, and more than $7 million has been raised for the event, according to the organizations website at https://tinyurl.com/bdks73j.
Koplinsky has been a fitness coach for 10 years. She graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in dance and since then has worked as a teacher for many sports, such as ballet and yoga. Despite her condition, she continues to educate and inspire her throughout the fitness world.
At her initial diagnosis in 2016, Koblensky hadn’t stopped. Her only knowledge of the condition at the time was from a classmate she attended in high school, who also had the condition. At the time, I only associated MS with looking bigger and heavier. Now, she continues to teach fitness as she learns more and more.
“I was terrified, I was afraid, I was sad, I was confused,” recalls Koplinsky. “Mostly, because I knew about five percent about what MS was, and what MS was like. So when I was diagnosed with MS, I was very physical, I got my degree in dance, what was I supposed to What do I do now if my body isn’t working the right way? So, it was a learning process, and it was six years ago so it still looks very new.”
After being diagnosed, she was stunned but knew she would have to get up again. She said it was the idea of being able to inspire others that ultimately saved her life.
Joining the MS 150 was created by a former co-worker who had a marathon team. Although hesitant at first, her persistence gave her the proper motivation to do so.
“I told her I’d love to have my MS 150 a day,” Koplinsky said. “But unfortunately I had balance issues, and couldn’t do it with over 10,000 people around me because I could barely turn around. We have a team for MS 150,” she says. She went behind my back and started GoFundMe, giving my story of how I was Full time fitness is at the peak of my career.”
GoFundMe will reach its target in just 2 hours. With that money, her friend was able to buy Koblinski a $1,500 bike to race, along with a new helmet and boots.
Koplinsky stated that her MS 150 goal is to spread awareness of MS, as well as provide a clearer picture of what MS looks like. In particular, she said she wanted to present an image of people her age, who are still physically active and living their lives despite the condition.
“One of the most important things for me is acting,” Koplinsky said. “And I really honed in on that this year, because they put me in an article in Momentum, and that’s what I’ve been missing in my life with this journey with MS. Because every time I open a magazine, it’s being marketed. Nobody looks like me at all.” .
Featured in Momentum Magazine’s winter edition “MS Through the Ages,” which focused on individuals in their 30s with MS. She stated that it was important for those with the condition to tell their story, and that doing so would be of great help to the multiple sclerosis community and individuals within it.
