N. Aurora woman overcomes pain, incurable disease to achieve taekwondo success

North Aurora resident Jacy Shoener was recently awarded her second-degree black belt in taekwondo from Initial TKD in Batavia.

To receive her belt, Shoener demonstrated proficiency in both her current form and the forms preceding it at her promotions ceremony earlier this summer, in addition to various board-breaking techniques using kicks and punches. She even donned sparring gear and went a few rounds in the ring.

For someone who has never been athletic or even very physically active, those close to her describe it as quite an accomplishment. But it’s almost unheard of for someone who has battled complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) for more than 14 years.

CRPS, formerly known as causalgia or as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), is a bit of a mystery. Millions suffer from it, but the cause is unknown and there is no known cure. Shoener says that it causes her significant nerve pain and skin sensitivity, mostly in one foot. Day to day, she rates it 9 out of 10 on the pain scale. If she had never experienced this pain, Shoener says, and woke up with it tomorrow, she’d go to the emergency room, a recent news release explained.

“In some ways, my everyday pain is worse than childbirth,” Shoener said in the release. “That kind of pain has a beginning and an end. My pain doesn’t go away – ever. I’ve got two boys, and I’d rather give birth to them again than live with CRPS.”

Most CRPS patients are unable to be very active, Shoener said. But she didn’t want to live her life shut away. She soon found that pain medication wasn’t the answer – it barely took the edge off, while doing nothing to help her everyday functioning. After some time, Shoener felt that her inactivity was weakening her. She sought physical activity to prevent further muscle atrophy and provide strength conditioning going forward. She also hoped it would help her relieve stress and focus her attention away from the pain.

She tried aerobics, yoga, swimming and even adult gymnastics. None of these helped and most increased her discomfort.

Then, one of her sons asked if he could try taekwondo. He had heard about it at school and a local program at Initial TKD allowed parents to participate with their children, even young ones. She and her sons quickly became hooked. It requires focus and is a great stress reliever, Shoener said, while also helping to build strength and coordination. It’s been more than three years, and Shoener’s rank is now one of the highest at Initial TKD.

“I was never very coordinated,” Shoener said. “I got picked on in school, and I was always the last one chosen for sports.”

Add in her trouble with CRPS, and Shoener believes many people in her situation would have given up hope of leading an active life.

“The thought crossed my mind that I would never be able to do anything with my boys,” she said. “I couldn’t stand that thought. For me, taekwondo means that I am physically fit. It reminds me of what I’ve overcome.”

In fact, Shoener’s new black belt has two phrases monogrammed into it: One is translated as “perseverance and fortitude,” meaning being strong in the face of suffering; and the other is a Japanese proverb that translates literally to “fall down seven times, get up eight,” which Shoener says more loosely means “always rising after repeated failures.”

Shoener attributes her “fortitude” to her instructors, Ke and Daneel Roth of Initial TKD, who have helped her to regard herself not as klutzy and uncoordinated, but as capable and accomplished.

These days, Shoener is a level-three instructor at Initial TKD, where she is a role model to dozens of students.

“With young students, we focus on teaching confidence tempered with self-control, in addition to the physical forms,” said Ke Roth, chief instructor at Initial TKD, in the release. “Often, these qualities are just as important for our adult students. Ms. Shoener is an excellent example of someone who seemed to be facing more obstacles than one person could overcome. Yet, with some guidance and structure, that’s exactly what she’s done. She has every reason to be proud of herself. We certainly are.”

At Initial TKD, students as young as 3 years old study martial arts techniques that include essential self defense techniques and movement patterns called “forms.” A different belt color is associated with each form, beginning with white belt and progressing through nine colors until black belt is achieved. Training continues with the nine levels of black belt. More advanced students may also study forms designed to showcase the use of special weapons. Through all of the studies, emphasis at Initial TKD is placed on honesty, courtesy and self improvement. The school even awards special badges to young students for good deeds and for excelling in academics outside of martial arts.

Initial TKD is a Batavia-based martial arts school and studio founded in 2005 with the goal of emphasizing taekwondo for children and for families with children. Conventional techniques are taught, but with as much focus placed on developing a respect of self and others, and on fostering the growth of young people as is placed on belt advancement and competition.

Chief instructor Ke Roth and her son, assistant instructor Daneel Roth, have a combined 24 years of experience in the art, more than a decade of which as black belts. The school offers daily classes specializing in forms, weapons, sparring, leadership and classes designed especially for young students and for whole families.

For more information, visit www.InitialTKD.com, stop by the studio at 14 E. Wilson St. or call 630-406-6883. Parking is available on the street and in the lot off Route 25, behind the building.