Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Levy.
Hi Dana , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Thanks for asking, and hello to the Voyage Utah readers!
I began my career in dance in Nashville in the 1980s, choreographed and performed into the 1990s, then spent 15 years living in Japan studying and teaching yoga and martial arts and running a yoga studio in Tokyo. My family moved to Salt Lake City in 2013, where I established a career as a yoga teacher and certified yoga therapist. Little did I know I’d step into a full-time second career helping cancer survivors live better lives regardless of their diagnosis!
I came to Survivor Wellness in 2021 as the pandemic subsided. Having been teaching yoga classes and working with clients online due to COVID, I was ready to resume in-person sessions. I knew there was a small studio at Survivor Wellness, and that wellness practitioners could donate their time for cancer survivors and caregivers in exchange for use of the studio.
When I walked onto the nonprofit organization’s campus, I was surprised to see two historic homes, beautiful gardens hidden in the back, a charming counseling cottage and the lovely, intimate yoga studio. I learned that, when it was founded as Cancer Wellness House in 1997, it was the only resource in the Intermountain West where cancer survivors and their caregivers could receive free wellness services and support in a home-like, non-clinical setting.
Soon after developing a movement program for the organization, I was invited to join the staff as Program Director and rebuild the programming post-COVID. There were few members and even fewer staff in early 2022, but those who were present emphasized their deep desire to help get the organization moving again. Other wellness professionals walked through the doors to donate their services to members. Programming grew. Word got out, and membership increased. In 2023, I stepped in as Executive Director, leaving a 30-year career in movement to start a new adventure as the head of this remarkable nonprofit organization. In so doing, I hoped to nurture it into fullness so it could nourish those who are most in need: cancer survivors and their caregivers.
As of February, 2026 programming at Survivor Wellness is thriving. Any day of the week, you might find members receiving counseling, opting for a tai chi class or sound bath, relaxing in a reiki session or benefiting from oncology massage, giving and receiving support in a group setting, or simply having a cup of tea in the house with another member. All of this is offered at no cost. The two historic homes – represented in the logo – are alive and bringing life to those who have been impacted by cancer, all without increasing the financial burden of diagnosis and treatment. The campus also hosts regular community gatherings to celebrate our courageous members and their stories. Our annual event, Survivors at the Summit, held at Brighton Resort, is now in its 30th year. A day in the mountains to honor those impacted by cancer and support Survivor Wellness, the event is known for the bright yellow Tribute Flags carrying messages of hope, love and remembrance to the skies as we gather together in fellowship.
As a nonprofit organization, Survivor Wellness depends on contributions from community members, corporate donors and granting foundations. Each gift makes it possible for Survivor Wellness to better provide for its members. With 1 in 4 Utahns impacted by cancer in their lifetime, plus increasing cancer survival rates, ensuring access to supportive care and community is more important than ever! I am grateful to be able to make a difference in the lives of those who walk through the doors of Survivor Wellness.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Stepping into a role and an organization that were completely new to me was exciting but not without its challenges. The pandemic had brought the organization to its knees. Programming had stopped. Volunteer staff had moved on, and members had left due not only to COVID, but also to changes within the organization. The houses of Survivor Wellness were dormant and lifeless.
I knew that, in the past, Cancer Wellness House had provided a rich array of services and robust programming for its members. I didn’t know how, but I was determined to “bring back the houses” — to life, to visibility and to the community. It was the help of dedicated volunteers, devoted members, a great board of directors, and encouragement from colleagues and mentors that helped us reach the current level of programming. Since 2022, we have seen a 400% increase in demand for services, and now provide over 130 service hours monthly, plus resources and outreach, through more than 180 individual interactions on a monthly basis.
Bringing the houses of Survivor Wellness back to life has been a remarkable experience for all involved, and we keep growing – because you or your loved one are in need of a welcoming place.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The hidden side of my work is helping people find their own way out of their pain through thought, words, movement and action.
When a client says, “I feel so stuck,” we find ways to move.
When a member says, “I’m so tired,” we give permission to rest.
When a cancer survivor says, “It’s so hard…” we add, “…right now.”
When they say, “I can’t do this alone…” we say, “…we are here with you.”
I see people shift their perspective on living with illness.
I hear them say, “This is not what I want, AND I will live fully with the time I have.”
It’s really what inspires me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it all.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
There have absolutely been mentors – those who challenged me, those who encouraged me, those who stood by me, and those who left, who walked away, or those whom I chose to walk away from.
Each relationship offers the opportunity to reflect on how and who I want to keep becoming, on how to cultivate relationship, and to mentor those around me.
This includes:
–The members of Survivor Wellness also deserve credit – without them showing up, asking for what they need, and leaving what they do not need, we would have no reason to exist. They provide inspiration each time they walk in the doors of the houses.
–Those who support nonprofit organizations, because every donation means we can keep providing care.
–Those who donate their time as volunteers, because every hand reaching out means another hand is held.
–And those who recognize that life is a gift.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.survivorwellness.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/survivor_wellness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/survivorwellness.org/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Survivor_Wellness
