12/09/2025
It is with profound sadness that we share the unexpected death of Dr. Lucinda “Cindy” A. Pfalzer, a cherished physical therapist and leader within APTA Michigan, APTA Oncology, and the broader physical therapy and exercise science community. Dr. Pfalzer has left a legacy of scholarship, leadership, mentorship, and unwavering dedication to advancing the profession she loved.
A graduate of Ithaca College’s Physical Therapy Program in 1979, Dr. Pfalzer went on to earn a Master’s degree in Cardiac Rehabilitation and Adult Fitness from The Ohio State University in 1984, followed by a PhD in Exercise Physiology in 1989. Her academic training served as the foundation for a career marked by excellence, innovation, and service.
Dr. Pfalzer’s contributions to physical therapy are immeasurable. A Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association and Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, she exemplified excellence in clinical practice, education, and research. She served as a long-time delegate for Michigan to the APTA House of Delegates and was a past president of the Oncology Section of the APTA (now APTA Oncology), guiding the section’s growth and impact during pivotal years. She was instrumental in establishing oncology rehabilitation as a recognized and essential specialty within the profession and continued to serve as an onsite reviewer for oncology physical therapy residency programs. From 2013–2019, she also served as Editor of Rehab Oncology, further shaping scholarship within the field.
Dr. Pfalzer retired as a Professor Emerita at the University of Michigan–Flint, where she was named only the fourth Emeritus Professor in the department’s history—an honor reflecting her extraordinary influence on the program and its graduates. During her distinguished academic career, she authored dozens of peer-reviewed papers and book chapters and delivered more than 150 scientific and professional presentations worldwide. Her expertise spanned oncology rehabilitation, breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and upper quadrant overuse injuries.
Her career at the University of Michigan–Flint was marked by exceptional leadership. She served as associate director for research and post-professional education, director of the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, and interim director of the Department of Physical Therapy. She played a central role in launching the campus’s first Doctor of Physical Therapy program and completed a prestigious oncology clinical research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Under her leadership of the post-professional certificate and residency programs, she facilitated the development of residencies in orthopedics, cardiopulmonary, neurology, and pediatrics across southeast Michigan—expanding high-quality professional development for countless clinicians.
Dr. Pfalzer’s research shaped clinical practice guidelines and informed health care reform efforts in oncology rehabilitation, improving care for countless individuals living with and beyond cancer. She invested generously in the growth of faculty, students, and clinicians, many of whom regard her as a defining influence in their professional lives. Through her vision, leadership, and steadfast commitment to excellence, she helped shape multiple generations of oncology rehabilitation specialists and profoundly strengthened the professional community we are privileged to share today. Her enduring legacy of mentorship will not be forgotten.
APTA Michigan, APTA Oncology, and the entire physical therapy profession mourn the loss of an extraordinary educator, leader, and visionary. Dr. Cindy Pfalzer’s legacy will endure in the clinicians she mentored, the patients whose lives are improved through her work, and the ongoing evolution of oncology rehabilitation—a field she helped build from the ground up.
We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, colleagues, and all who were fortunate to know her. May her memory continue to inspire us to pursue excellence, compassion, and innovation in service to our patients and our profession.
