When you first meet Valerie Jahn, you might notice her bright smile and inviting energy. What you might not guess right away is that she has spent most of her life on the ice.

Valerie started ice skating when she was just three years old in Lake Placid, New York. She loved it from the very beginning. As she grew up, she worked hard and medaled in freestyle ice skating. Skating wasn’t just something she did, it was who she was.

But about 11 or 12 years ago, something started to feel off.

While training and competing, Valerie noticed she didn’t have the same energy she used to. She felt tired and out of breath more often. At first, doctors thought it might be bronchitis or exercise-induced asthma. She tried to push through, like many athletes do.

Around that same time, Valerie tore her ACL. After rehab, she made a big change, switching from freestyle skating to ice dancing. Still, something wasn’t quite right. She often felt winded.

During a hospital visit to address her breathlessness, doctors did a CT scan and reported nothing concerning. She was sent home. And her symptoms persisted.
Years later, everything changed.

Valerie woke up in pain and had her mother drive her to the hospital. This time, her doctors reported cysts visible in her scans. She was diagnosed with LAM, a rare lung disease. When doctors looked back at her old scans, they realized the signs had been there all along.

For years, Valerie had been living with LAM without knowing it.

Today, Valerie receives care at Columbia University. She says one of the biggest sources of strength in her life has been her now husband, Kevin, who has stood by her side through it all. Even during the hardest moments, when she felt like giving up skating, he encouraged her to keep going.
Over time, Valerie began to find her way back to herself.

She started going to barre3 classes with her mom. The workouts felt different from anything she had done before. They were gentle but challenging, and most importantly, they felt safe for her body. Valerie fell in love with this new way of moving.

It began as a way to reconnect through movement, but Valerie quickly realized it was so much more. Valerie’s journey at barre3 eventually came in full circle. What started as her being a member alongside her mother led to her becoming an instructor inspiring others as she still does, and eventually owner of barre3 Franklin Lakes in New Jersey where she now leads a supportive and uplifting community.

Within just one year, her studio has grown and thrived. She has built strong connections in her community and created a welcoming space for others.

Today, Valerie often shares that movement did not end with her diagnosis. In many ways, it helps her find a new part of her life and a supportive community. Her doctors have encouraged her to continue to keep moving. Valerie believes staying active has played an important role in maintaining her strength, lung function, and positive outlook.

Today, Valerie feels grateful. Her symptoms have not worsened, and she continues to move forward with strength and hope. Surrounded by her family and the barre3 community, she has found a new rhythm in life and is now a proud two-time gold medalist in ice dancing.

Her message is simple but powerful: keep moving in a way that feels good for you. Valerie hopes her story reminds others living with LAM that a diagnosis does not define the limits within their life. With the right supportive community, healthy movement, and a positive mindset, it is still possible to find joy and purpose.

We at The LAM Foundation are grateful to Valerie for sharing her story and for fundraising for The LAM Foundation during Worldwide LAM Awareness Month.