Where are they now?

A misdiagnosis of cancer led Jennifer Alvarez (’04, Psychology) on a path toward making the world a healthier place.

She was a 21-year-old FGCU student in 2002 when doctors told her she had cancer. A biopsy revealed the lump in her left calf was a benign desmoid tumor, which doesn’t metastasize, but can grow quickly and damage nearby tissues and bones. By the time she had surgery to remove it a month later, she could no longer walk.

A year of chemotherapy followed, and Alvarez has been free of symptoms for five years. But the experience inspired her.

“It was life changing for me. I didn’t know how long I had to live,” says Alvarez, 30, of Naples. “But something positive came out of it.”

She became an advocate. Every year, two to four people in a million are diagnosed with desmoid tumors, a condition also known as fibromatosis. Because it’s so rare, there has been little public awareness or scientific research, she says.

“I have this personality that, if something bad presents itself, I look at it as an opportunity and a challenge to overcome. I got more health conscious. I started a walk for the Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation that raised $17,000. I wanted to be a role model.”

A self-described overachiever, Alvarez channeled her energy into a new career. After working as a resort concierge and a massage and fitness supervisor, she launched her own business in 2009: Purely You Spa in Naples. Starting with just a few clients, the licensed esthetician now heads a staff of 18 that uses only certified-organic products.

Though also busy in the community volunteering for causes such as domestic abuse, Alvarez says she has found balance in her life. To help others achieve equilibrium, she offers wellness seminars that put her FGCU degree to good use. Her psychology studies helped her understand the connections between behavior and health and prepared her to lead others hoping to change their lives, she says.

“We don’t just pamper people on their birthdays,” she says of her spa. “It’s an all-around healthy lifestyle.”