Hi, I’m Vivian Stancil.
You’re only as old as you think you are.
Better health drives her, competition motivates her, compassion dwells in her. YOU TOO can be an inspiration and a champion.
Vivian Stancil, 66, began to lose her eyesight at age 19 and is now legally blind. When she was 50, her doctor told her that her overall health had deteriorated to the point that she would not live to see her 60th birthday unless she became more active and made changes. At age 50, she learned to swim and has lost more than 175 pounds.
Today, Stancil is an athlete competing in the 2013 National Senior Games, presented by Humana. “My lifestyle change and this event have energized me,” said the resident of Riverside, Calif. “I try to encourage others to do the same and be more active. I sometimes hear people with full sight say ‘I can’t.’ I tell them not to say those words to me because you can. Just move! Anything is possible.” “I can attest to that,” said her husband, Turner, adding that she has proven that anything is possible if you try. She has overcome loss of her sight, become a teacher and has participated in six National Senior Games. Stancil is a living example of the importance of having hope for a happier, healthier future no matter what age you are or how many challenges you face. She, like so many athletes at the Senior Games, is a champion of hope and health…
These days, Vivian wears a size 12 and weighs 201 lbs. looking to lose an additional 32 pounds to reach her ideal weight. Through dedication and drive, Vivian now participates in local and National Senior Olympics and the Masters Swimming Program. A sound food plan, Vivian hates the word diet, has contributed greatly to her transformation. Vivian was wining medals within the first year she learned how to swim, and currently competes in the freestyle, butterfly and backstroke swimming styles. She has competed all over the country, and now wants to empower those here in the Inland Empire and across the nation to get out and get physical; do something you love and share it with those around you, because life is what you make it so get off the sidelines
Vivian was inducted into the City of Riverside Hall of Fame in 2007. She is a living example of the importance of having hope for a happier, healthier future no matter what age you are or how many challenges you face. She, like so many athletes at the Senior Games, is a champion of hope and health..
