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Over the different incarnations of WOW - Women's of Wrestling, one of the true centerpieces of the series on camera was former WOW Champion Jungle Grril, portrayed by Erica Porter. While her time in the ring ended after her stage three diagnosis of breast cancer, Porter has been no less ferocious in taking on the disease head on and there can no argument against the fact that she has taken her experiences in life and used them to pay it forward while inspiring others through the creation of her Endorphasm Foundation. As the month of October is timed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, PWInsider.com sat down with Porter to discuss her experiences in battling such a harsh disease, using her experiences to help service others, what we can all do to assist those suffering from cancer and more.
Her Diagnosis and Battle: "I was diagnosed in June of 2020, and I was diagnosed with stage four cancer, which is not curable, but it's certainly treatable. I have never waited in life for my hand to be forced into enjoying life and to really, there's not a single one of us that is born with an expiration date on the bottom of our foot saying, okay, on this day you will expire. Every single day is a gift. And I have lived my life that way since I was a teenager, really. And I did the things that I wanted to do. And I think it's really important to control the aspects of your life that you can control. And I think that in doing that, then we never really fall victim to anything that happens in our lives. We make a decision that we are either going to be an individual that allows the world to impact them, or we are going to choose to impact the world. And so when I received the diagnosis, yes, it was overwhelming. Yes, it changed a lot of aspects of my life and mostly because now I was in and out of doctor's offices have to do scans every three months. I'm on medication now, which I never took even a vitamin before, but I'm on medication every single day. So that change is just a small piece of the inconvenience of it. But really in receiving that diagnosis, what I realized is that there's really a gap in the medical system, and that is that the doctors treat the disease and they're not really treating the whole person. And so what I found is that as an individual that's receiving a diagnosis, you feel as though you are relinquishing all of your control to the medical community. It's really important for especially someone like me who likes to be in total control, to have an aspect that is mine to control and movement. Self-care is every person's to control. I mean, movement is powerful, and it's not just, I'm glad that you mentioned that, not just the physical piece of it, but it's really important what movement does for us emotionally and how it connects us to what is possible. And when we walk around and we're connected and we move, we carry ourselves a little bit differently. Our shoulders are back, our chin is up higher, and we feel differently. So Endorphasm is the moment during movement that you feel all things are possible, and that is what's really important to connect people that have been recently diagnosed to say, Hey, listen, I know that you're going through this. I understand all of the things and how your life has changed, but it's really important for you to retain an aspect of your care that's yours to control."
The Importance of Mental Health while dealing with cancer: "I think mental health is everything. I think positivity is everything. I think that if you don't start from that place, it's really difficult. Whatever you're receiving from the medical community is not received as well as if you are entering into the entire process from a positive place. And that's really controlling our controllables, right? That's being able to control the aspects that we can control. I'm not going to change the fact that I was diagnosed with stage four cancer, but I'm certainly going to control every other aspect of my life that I can control. And I think that that's a powerful piece. I think that that's a really overlooked piece of what medicine is. Movement is medicine. Our mental wellbeing is medicine, and that is part of the process. And if you lose that aspect, then you lose your fight, you lose the will, and you lose the confidence to whatever else it is that you're receiving. It's just not there. So I think it's really critical. I think that's the biggest piece when I talk about connecting with that feeling, is being able to connect with something that puts you in a place and changes your mind. And that's really, really critical. And we are now in oncology and exercise oncology where the American Heart Association was 30 years ago or 20 years ago, where it wasn't even a conversation that doctors were having with their patients to say, Hey, listen, exercise is really important. And so exercise oncology, that conversation is just starting to happen to say, Hey, listen, it's not just the physical benefit, but it is the emotional benefit as well, and it's just starting. So I am the champion behind that. I really believe Who better to relay that message? So when I talk about people ask me, are you upset? Are you mad? Are you angry? Are you all of these things? I'm not because I think who better to deliver the message than Jungle Grrrl?"
What everyone can do to support those battling cancer: "So there's so many different facets to cancer, to breast cancer, to all of it. A lot of it is research. The research I am benefiting now from all of the research that happened 10 years ago, and it's constantly changing. And so the medicines that are available, even the therapies that I was able to do a stage four cancer patient even 10 years ago, would not have lived more than two years. I'm now well into my third year after my diagnosis. I'm thriving, not just living with cancer, but I am thriving with cancer. So I think it's important to find organizations that we've all been touched by cancer in some capacity to find organizations that you believe in what their mission and the vision of those organizations are and to be a part of it. And it's not just about money being thrown at an organization, it's being involved in whatever capacity you can be involved in, whether that's sharing stories, whether that's what you're doing right now and sharing my story. The organization that I founded...It's really, really important to be having these conversations. I think it's important to highlight the positive aspect. The individuals that are making an impact, that are rising above, that are choosing their narrative and choosing that they are all of these things and they happen to be living with cancer, and that's part of their story, but it is not the story. And so I think that's really important to say, Hey, listen, you can be diagnosed with cancer, but you can still be a strong force to be reckoned with. And I think that that's really, really important. So find an organization that you believe in what they're doing. The Endorphasm Foundation, we appreciate any support that we can get. All of the services that we offer are free to the community, and so it's really important. All of what we're able to provide is through donations. So it's pretty great."
The online proponent of Endorphasm: "All they have to do is go on to endorphasmfoundation.org. There is an on-demand link, and all of those classes are free. Anybody can access them. It's also important to recognize that even though we are based out of Richmond, Virginia, our organization has reached beyond the Richmond, Virginia area. It's really important so that if somebody is out in California or in Florida or in wherever they might be, that it's important for them to contact us as well, because what we do is we connect them with the Certified Cancer Exercise Specialists that are in their location. We cover the cost for those services. And so our goal really is to be in every single network. So we're building the organization to be something that is far bigger than just a Richmond, Virginia organization. It really is going to have a global impact, and we really are looking to help people no matter where they are, to get placed with services that will help them move through cancer and to move through life and to empower themselves and to change the narrative of what it means to be living with and through cancer."
How Erica is feeling today: "It hasn't come without its challenges. Obviously. When I was first diagnosed, my initial treatment was really aggressive to basically to help with the metastatic portion. So I had spread to my lungs and spread to my bones. And so what that meant was intensive chemotherapy and then radiation for the bone metastasis that had happened. And so now I take an oral chemotherapy and I take it every single day. And so it has its challenges, challenges, and with it, there's fatigue, but also that's the portion of movement that's really important. Even though it seems counterintuitive, the more you move, the better you feel and the less fatigued you actually are. And so trying to get out of that cycle, trying to remain positive and to recognize that there's still so much that I can control, it's a daunting process, and it's really important to have a great support network. I think that had I not had the community here in Endorphasm in the gym that I founded in Richmond, Virginia, and my husband and my son and my family, I think it would be a very difficult thing. But I'm also not the type of person that likes to sit back and feel sorry for myself. I like to move forward. And so I try not to live in this space of being a cancer patient. I like to talk about it in the way that it helps other individuals, but it, it's a difficult process. And of course, things change physically, and I feel different. And there's days that there are better days and days that are not great, but I push through and I persevere. And with community and with movement, I feel that all things are possible."
Getting Involved with WOW: "Oh, man! So I got involved in the wrestling world in 2000 when I went out for a tryout that WOW had in Marina Delray. I walked in kind of not knowing anything. They advertised it as athletic women for a superhero show. And when I walked in there and realized that it was wrestling, I'm like, oh my God, this is the greatest thing ever. And I didn't realize I loved wrestling as a kid. I loved the storytelling, I loved the athleticism, but there really was a void in seeing myself in somebody that I was watching. And so an opportunity where it was an all female focused company was really just for me, especially because I kind of view myself as a champion for all things women and men, but really I champion women. So it was for me, just an absolute perfect fit. And when the storytelling kind of revolved around who I was as an individual, and it really just, it gave me a platform to be something bigger than I could have ever been is just a remarkable experience and truly, truly awesome. 2019 was the last time that I wrestled because COVID happened after that. I certainly would've wrestled after that. I miss it every day. To say that I wouldn't like to be in the ring is an understatement. I still consider myself an athlete. I still consider myself a champion. And if given the opportunity, would I get back in the ring? I'm sure that I would, but there's a tremendous amount of talent that's on the WOW roster right now, and they are remarkable women. And I'm still very much a part of the organization. I work with the women, and I'm really fortunate to be able to be involved the way that I am right now."
Thoughts on the current WOW Product: "I'm a huge fan of the current roster. I think in everything, timing is everything, right? I think that when we started with WOW, back in 2000, the world was not really ready to receive the product that David McLane was putting out there. I think that as we have progressed as a society, that seeing women kind of evolve to this place where they are, the entire story is acceptable now, and people are wanting to tune into the storytelling and to the athleticism and to everything that wow has to offer. And not just for young women, but also for boys to see role models as well. So it's a really diverse cast of characters, and it's really just an opportunity to shine light on some true, true athleticism, some great wrestling, some amazing storytelling. Everything has come together in this beautiful package. I'm sad that I'm not a part of it in that way where I'm not out in the ring because there's really, it's an incredible group of women, incredibly talented and just, they're awesome. They're awesome, and the show is awesome. And I enjoy it as a fan. I enjoy it from knowing the business and starting with it back in 2000 and the evolution of it. It's an amazing thing to come full circle and for it to be as spectacular as it is."
Current WOW Champion Princess Aussie: "To me, there's no greater champion than Jungle Grrrl. But with that being said, I think she's, she's part of the Lana Star protege project. Fabulous for, they're a little high and mighty, but she's certainly a tough competitor. She's an incredible athlete, and I think that she is elevating what it means to be a champion. And I think she's elevating women's wrestling and especially women's wrestling within the WOW organization. It's really a cool thing to watch."
Working Behind the Scenes in WOW: "So a lot is kind of like being a Den Mom, because I understand everything that they're going through and the talent really is, they are the brand ambassadors of what wow is. And without a happy talent, you have nothing. And so what's really important is that they feel heard and that they feel seen just beyond just going out and performing and having these matches. So when they have an issue and when they feel overwhelmed with the process, it's a lot. I mean, it's match after match. It's a lot of work. It's a lot of putting life on hold and going and doing this show and putting together this spectacular TV program, but there's a lot of intricacies with it. And so it's really important for me as former talent to really to be part of those women's lives and not just their lives there, but I like to keep touch with them and touch base with them as far as how they're doing and how their life is and what they're doing. And it's really, really important. And I think that that's an incredibly valuable position to have, if not the most valuable position, obviously putting together the production and all of that, but without a happy base of talent. It doesn't matter what the production is."
David McLane and Jeannie Buss: "David McLane has a level of passion that is, I've never experienced the dedication, the drive, I mean, wow folded several times, and that was just lay back and allow that to be. The end product was just, he was unwilling. He was unwavering in his pursuit in making this thing what it is and kudos because without him, it's just been great. And then to have someone like Jeannie Buss who believes in the mission and the vision and believes in the product is huge. I mean, what can I say about Jeannie Bus? She is the ultimate female boss, and just with so much class and dignity and respect, and I respect her as a woman, I respect her as a business woman. I respect her as a leader, especially of a Lakers organization that I have always respected before I even knew who Jeannie Buss was. But it's a really remarkable duo because they understand each of their roles. They embrace one another. They embrace the love and compassion and the passion that they each have for the success of what wow superheroes is."
Favorite personal WOW Moments for Jungle Grrrl: "Winning the championship belt from Lana Star, it is. There are no words to describe how I felt in the ring. And not only that was that wow involved my son in it. So they made a call to him. So he was up on the big screen. And so he's sitting in a chair, basically, not even fitting in the chair, and he's like, mom, you finally did it. You finally won the golden Belt. And it was so surreal and so powerful. And really after that, it didn't even matter. I mean, obviously I wanted to defend the belt, but was there's no other feeling like it in the world. It was incredible, my best moment ever."
Memories of the 2001 WOW Unleashed Live PPV: " So the energy of that event was incredible. I mean, first of all, we're the LA Forum. You've got thousands of people that are watching you in this live event. And I think that it elevated each of us because we went out there and we knew that we had to be technically sound. We knew that we had to just give everything that we had in that moment. There was no editing anything. There was no going back, and there were no redos. It was just, this was it. And to me, I just like the rawness of it. I like when something is just raw and real, and it is the product that you get. And that's a really, really exciting thing to be able to put forth a product like that and to have it received the way that it was received. It's a really exciting thing. And that was another, if I would just say number two moment, jumping off that ladder into the ring for that slash match against Becky, the farmer's daughter. That was, I stood up on that ladder, this 25 foot ladder, and just the place erupted as I was climbing up. And then when I stood up there, the place just lost its mind. And it was just really, really great. It was great. I'm waiting for more of those moments. Hopefully there'll be some pay-per-view and some live events to come shortly."
The Endorphasm Foundation as her legacy to the world: "Well, I think that life often imitates art. And I think that life is always wanting to pin our shoulders to the mat. And it's looking for that 1, 2, 3. And I think that we are far more powerful as individuals than that competitor that's trying to pin our shoulders to the mat. And I have always been a competitor in and out of the ring, and I will be a competitor and I will fight until there's no fight left. And I don't know that looks like, but I'm really proud of the work that I've done. I'm really proud of the people that we're helping. To watch. Someone that comes in just on one time and they walk out of here and they are a different person, is, it's a really powerful thing to know that you are responsible for changing what somebody is going through. And especially something as dark as a cancer diagnosis and as daunting as traveling that journey to know that you have somebody that has your back, but not only that, but you have somebody that is really trying to empower you to change the narrative, to feel stronger, both physically and mentally. I'm really, really proud of the work that I've done. I'm proud of all of the people that have been involved in helping me get to the place that I am now. And wow has been one of those contributors as well. I mean, we had a huge event back in November of 2022 called Wrestling with Cancer, where we brought out some of the wow superheroes and we did an event, and it was highly successful, and it was really a wonderful thing to be able to marry two things that I have so much passion for and bring them together, and to have them just kind of coexist for that brief moment of time was really, really cool and pretty surreal as well."
For more on WOW, visit WOWE.com.
Erica Porter's battle continues, but she has that adversity and used it to empower herself and others through the Endorphasm Foundation. She can be found online at www.instagram.com/wow_junglegrrrl/.
For more on Erica's Foundation and everything is does on a daily basis to empower others battling cancer, click here.
I'd like to truly thank Erica for her time.
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