Meet Our Team!
Dr. Crystal A Champion, PT, DPT, CLT-ALM, Cert. DN
Founder & Executive Director
White Plains, Georgia native Dr. Crystal A. Champion, PT, DPT, CLT-ALM, Cert. DN, is a Physical Therapist and a Certified Lymphedema Therapist. She has over 13 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Upon graduating from Greene-Taliaferro Comprehensive High School in Greensboro, Georgia in 2000 as Valedictorian, Dr. Champion attended Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, Georgia where she graduated Cum Laude and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Education with a Concentration in Exercise Science in 2004. She was also initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc in which she remains an active member in the Upsilon Alpha Omega Chapter in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Dr. Champion attended the Medical College of Georgia where she obtained a Master of Physical Therapy degree in 2006 and a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree in 2008.
Dr. Champion has served on various committees to include the Cancer Committee, Oncology Continuous Quality Improvement Team, Unit Practice Council, and the Palliative Care Team. She has also served as a host committee member for an Atlanta signature fundraiser, Jeffrey Fashion Cares, which supports Susan G. Komen Atlanta and the Atlanta AIDS Fund. In her career, she has received accolades to include the Innovators Award for Quality/Patient Safety, a Clinical Excellence Award, and was nominated for the American Health Council Best In Patient Care Award. She is also an American Physical Therapy Association Credentialed Clinical Instructor in which she facilitates clinical experiences for students in Doctor of Physical Therapy programs.
Dr. Champion has a special interest in oncology rehabilitation and was instrumental in developing the oncology rehabilitation program as well as the outpatient lymphedema treatment program for a major hospital system in Atlanta, Georgia. She obtained her certification as a Lymphedema Therapist from the Academy of Lymphatic Studies as well as a certification in Advanced Lymphedema Management. She is also certified in Dry Needling through the Spinal Manipulation Institute. She also lectured to breast surgery fellows at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory and participates in various community events to spread awareness about cancer survivorship.
Dr. Champion was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2019. She also has had family and friends that have been affected by cancer and have endured horrible side-effects, leading to decline in physical functioning and a poor quality of life. Her passion for providing quality care for patients who require cancer rehabilitation and lymphedema therapy led her to start her own practice, Eminence Physical Therapy, LLC. Also, in her experience as a healthcare practitioner, she saw the need to serve cancer patients on a larger scale and encourage patients take a more holistic approach to restoring their psychological well-being, physical functioning, and quality of life as often the physical, psychological, spiritual, and emotional impairments resulting from cancer treatment are often not addressed or are improperly addressed.
This led her to establish Champions Can! Foundation for Cancer Wellness, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes and advocates for cancer survivorship. She is also a published author of "The Elements of Cancer Survivorship: A Guide to Navigating the Journey." Dr. Champion has gained more awareness surrounding the gaps in education regarding lymphededema treatment, cancer rehabilitation, as well as the limited focus on cancer survivorship once cancer treatment has been completed. Her company strives to be the leader in providing high quality care for lymphedema treatment as well as for cancer rehabilitation.
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In October 2019, she received the"40 Under 40 Achievement Award" from both The Network Journal Magazine of New York City and Georgia Trend Magazine for her hard work and dilligence in serving cancer patients and their families through her practice Eminence Physical Therapy, LLC and her non-profit organization Champions Can! She was also featured in VoyageATL Magazine as one of "ATL's Most Inspiring Stories."
Marcia D. Dupree
Vice-President (In Loving Memory)
Pastor Marcia D. DuPree has a strong background in teaching and training, having spent 24 years employed by a major corporation as a trainer/teacher, course developer and a staff manager. She is also a Life Member of the National Council of Negro Women. In 1993 she began the Sisters in Christ women's ministry which met monthly in her home. In 1996, she sensed that it was time to step out and fulfill a dream that had been in her heart for many years.
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She moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to attend RHEMA Bible Training College, graduating in 1998. In 1999, she and her husband started Enriching Your World Family Church in Atlanta, GA, which in 2004, was relocated to Jonesboro, a suburb of Atlanta. Pastor Marcy, as she was known to her congregants, has been an invited speaker and teacher at women's retreats, church services, and Bible schools. She has also traveled to the Philippines and Indonesia, ministering the gospel. Her philosophy is to preach and teach with "accuracy, clarity and simplicity, so they that hear may understand," and thereby be equipped to put into practice her shared truths and insights. In January of 2017, Marcia experienced one of her greatest tests of courage and fortitude, in that she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. While her faith has stood her in good stead and provided the grounding needed to withstand the trials experienced when coping with such a serious illness, she recognized the difficulties patients encounter when facing the initial diagnosis of cancer and how ill equipped most patients are. What's the next step when hearing that dreaded diagnosis? What questions should be asked? What should I expect of the medical/surgical team?
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What major lifestyle changes will I encounter? The uncertainties can seem daunting and insurmountable. Marcia had also found that she lacked a lot of the information and guidance needed at the onset of the cancer journey. Her heart for helping, supporting and teaching others prompted Marcia to become a board member and Vice President of Champions Can! Foundation for Cancer Wellness, Inc. and to take on the task of compiling "The Elements of Cancer Survivorship: A Guide to Navigating the Journey." Marcia strives to equip those in the initial throes of a cancer diagnosis or those well along the treatment trail to be enlightened with insights that can help them be advocates for their own wellness.
Adrienne L. Johnson
Secretary/Media Relations
Adrienne Louis Johnson is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She is a graduate of Birmingham’s Ramsay Alternative High School and the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. With over 25 years of professional work experience, she has an extensive background in social services and the corporate sector. She has held positions with Regions Bank, State of Alabama, Southern Company Services, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, and most recently Northeast Georgia Health Systems. She is currently commissioned by the Gwinnett County Clerk of Superior Court as a Notary Public for the State of Georgia.
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At a very young age, Adrienne started acting in church and school. In 2015, she and her husband relocated to Georgia. Her passion for acting was reignited in 2016 when she was selected as the stand-in for Ms. Cassi Davis as Aunt Bam in the Tyler Perry movie, "Boo! A Madea Halloween". She has also worked as the stand-in and photo double for Ms. Davis in several Tyler Perry Studios productions including, "Boo2! A Madea Halloween", "The Paynes", and "A Madea Family Funeral". She is best known for her roles in the popular TVOne series "Fatal Attraction", the thriller film "Spooked", and the medical drama "The Resident" on Fox. She is a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).
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The importance of helping, encouraging, supporting, and serving others was inspired by her mother, Mrs. Shirley J. Louis. This inspiration has motivated her to work on several committees and hold offices in organizations such as Alabama Power Service Organization, Southern Company Leadership Development Association, Susan G. Komen North Central Alabama, Alabama State Employees Association (ASEA), and University of Alabama Alumni Association. It is with great pride that she currently serves as an Executive Board Member, Secretary, and Media Relations Specialist for Champions Can! Foundation for Cancer Wellness, Inc.
Sabrina Washington
Board Member
Sabrina Washington is a native of Alexander City, AL. She is a mother of two beautiful daughters, Nia and Jada. Sabrina has spent more than 20 years in the profession of helping others. She graduated with Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Fisk University. During her matriculation at Fisk University, she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc and remains an active member in the Upsilon Alpha Omega Chapter in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Sabrina also obtained a Master of Arts in Social Work from University of Tennessee and a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from Alabama State University. She worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs for over five years as a social worker. Currently, she is a kindergarten teacher with Dekalb County Schools. She has always had to desire to help others and has made volunteering for nonprofit organizations a priority for many years.
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Her journey with cancer began on July 26, 2016 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her treatments included surgery, radiation sessions, and a daily medication to help prevent the cancer from returning. Along the way, she developed lymphedema and was referred to physical therapy. To her surprise, she met Dr. Champion, who was very knowledgeable about lymphedema and breast cancer. Sabrina is grateful that Dr. Champion helped her to deal with the physical and emotional aspects of cancer.
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Because of her pink journey, she is intentional in living a stress-free lifestyle. Her daily habits include relying on her faith for strength, eating healthy, exercising, and getting proper rest. As a cancer survivor, she wants to help others find hope and victory in the battles of life as they encounter their cancer journey. She is honored to serve as the foundation Treasurer and truly believes that CHAMPIONS CAN!