OUR STORY
How We Met
Frank & Stephanie met working on a 911 emergency response ambulance in Monterey County, CA. They have been married since June 10, 2000. Frank is a graduate of Chapman University and proudly worked for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County and Metro Denver. Stephanie is a graduate of the University of Florida and has worked as a registered nurse since 1989. Together they have always enjoyed the outdoors and being physically active. In 1998 they started a performance training business, 2 Steps Ahead Performance Training, working with student athletes. This later evolved to training adults to prove that there is an athlete in everyone. Frank’s coaching background and Stephanie’s martial arts helped to create their unconventional philosophy to training.
Desiring to connect with their love of the outdoors, they moved to Denver, CO in 2011 and continued their business. Opportunities evolved into working with the teen moms and staff at Florence Crittenton High School.
They both found adventure in endurance events and competitions. Together they bike, hike, kayak, run and ski much of what Colorado has to offer. They share their love and passion for the outdoors, great food and breweries with their community of friends.
Getting DiagnoseD with Sarcoma
While embracing and sharing their passions with others they were suddenly and unexpectedly hit with one of life’s largest battles. While training for a mountain bike event in Aspen, CO, Frank began to experience pain in his right hip. They sought out assistance from their chiropractor and hoped that some rest and physical therapy would have Frank back on his bike and ready to go in no time.
Unfortunately, Frank’s pain persisted and the next step was to look deeper with an MRI. The results were overwhelming when a 2-inch tumor was found in his right sacrum. Not only was there a tumor, but it was also a rare, aggressive cancer called a sarcoma, specifically, epithelioid angiosarcoma. After additional testing and scans with a specialist in Denver, the Knappe’s were referred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
The Sarcoma Team and staff of the Mayo Clinic, MN provided Frank and Stephanie with extraordinary care and treatment. Initially, surgery was proposed, an extremely difficult surgery that would involve delicately removing the tumor and severing a major nerve that would change his gait and normal life activities. After further discussions by the Sarcoma Team, a decision was made to treat with chemotherapy and radiation.
Frank endured 4 rounds of an intense chemotherapy regiment, traveling to The Mayo Clinic every 4 weeks. The next step was 35 rounds of radiation and an additional 2 rounds of chemotherapy. For eight weeks, Frank & Stephanie became temporary residents of The Hope Lodge in Rochester, MN. They are so grateful for the incredible team at the Mayo Clinic. They then returned home to recover with the confidence of having their amazing primary care physician, Dr. Francie Palmer, at the University of Colorado to guide them and be their local resource during such a difficult time.
Empowered by their Faith, Family, and Friends, Frank and Stephanie returned to Colorado to begin a journey of rediscovery, a journey to LIVE FULL TIME. Their life changing experience has motivated them to become a resource to patients and families that face this rare cancer.
Known as the “Forgotten Cancer” additional treatments, funding, and research are necessary for sarcomas. Therefore, with every purchase from the LIVE FULL TIME store, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the the Sarcoma Alliance.