Relay For Life in Stratford 2013

My Papa
Monday, March 18, 2013
By: Taylor Corriveau

The story about how I lost my grandfather to cancer.

Hi, my name is Taylor and I am 14 years old. When I was 9 years old my grandfather was diagnosed with lung cancer. He was a fun, loving, and funny guy. He was also one of my best friends. He fought hard, but after a short battle with cancer he passed away on March 23/2008. I take part in Relay For Life so no one else has to lose their best friend the way i did. R.I.P Papa <3

Fighting Back!
Friday, March 1, 2013
By: Hayley Bayliss

I am a year and 5 Months in remission and it feels like my life is finally getting back on track. I never would have been where I am now if I did not have the help of my family and friends.

I was diagnosed with Lymphoma the summer of 2011. I had recently graduated high school and I thought my life was over at the point when my Doctor told me I had Cancer. I went through Chemo and 2 surgeries within the span of 4 months. I am now Cancer free :) It was a hard and emotional journey getting to this point. I had many many people helping me through it all and that support meant a lot to me and my family. I hope that I am able to give back as much as they gave too me.

I want to help.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
By: Madison Melvin

Starting my own team

A couple of years ago, I lost my grandmother to cancer. I wasn't very close to her, but that didn't matter. I wanted to help find a cure. I wanted to help. I want to start my own team, with some family and friends. I plan to very soon, I hope other young people my age will get inspired and make a difference.

5 years already, miss you everyday
Thursday, January 17, 2013
By: Cindy Comeau

I Relay for a reason close to my heart.

I Relay for a reason close to my heart. This year marks 5 years mom was taken away from us! My mom battled with Cancer for 5 years before she passed away at the early age of 57 in 2008. All at the same time my Dad has fought and so far won the battle with Cancer as well for the last 6 years. When mom was diagnosed we didn't know what to expect when they said incurable. I was 24 at the time she was diagnosed and she was a fighter. Never once did she say no to helping me plan my wedding or to babysitting my son. She never complained of pain even though we all knew she was in lots of pain. She is the one who kept us strong, instead of us keeping her strong. My Dad is doing really well and all this has taught me to live each day to the fullest. I really miss my mom but know she is here with me every day and no longer suffering. Too many people have been taken away from us due to this terrible disease.

To the bravest young man I know
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
By: Sarah Dier-McComb

Brendan Rourke, one of my greatest friends forever.

One of my best friends Brendan Rourke was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma in the February of grade 12 (2011) even though he previously appeared to be perfectly healthy. His only symptom really was hip sourness after playing some sports, but this was ignored for some time. When diagnosed, it shocked our friend group and no one knew what to do or what to say.

But Brendan had not changed, and his optima for the future got us through and we have had many laughing good times the past few years. He went through everything to try and beat it. Chemo, Radiation, and whenever he could he was out of the house. Brendan's dad would say he was too busy living to worry about dying :)

In his last months, Brendan was able to go jet skiing, spend Thanksgiving with family and friends, see his favourite bands, and went to France for nearly a month in November with his girlfriend... and 19 years old, Bren passed away the New Years Eve of 2013.

People tell us it’s ok he had a short life; because he was so loved. There was over a hundred car procession, and everyone else pulled over.

But we still wish he were here.

Why I Relay? More like... why not?
Friday, November 30, 2012
By: Stephanie Bryant

A highlight into the reason why I Relay.

Everyone has a different reason for wanting to join in the fight against cancer. While I personally know many people who have been affected by this disease my main reason to Relay is because of my dad &#9829;

My dad has always been a hard-worker and worked in labour positions whether it was framing houses, installing floor coverings, roofing, or laying cement sometimes holding multiple jobs at a time. I'd never seen my dad weaken in my entire life, not even shed a tear he was a "man" in every sense of the word (tall, strong, active). I love and respect my dad with all my heart he stepped up and took responsibility and the role of being my dad from the day I was born, since my real father was not in the picture.

My dad's cancer story began on October 22, 2000, my mom's birthday, at the beginning of my grade 11 year. He noticed a lump prior to then and kept it private for awhile, then finally talked with my mom about it and she arranged an appointment with our family doctor. That was when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. This was not something he ever desired to hear as both of his parents had passed away from cancer. His dad had cancer of the lung and brain and passed away in 1976 when my dad was only 12 years old. While, my dad's mother passed away in 1981 from lung cancer, when he was 17 years old. I had known about the history cancer played in my dad's family, but had never realized the deeper meaning until we began our journey through his fight.

When my parents informed me that my dad had cancer, I didn't fully grasp the effect this would have on our lives. I guess I figured that the doctors and hospital would help him get better and everything would go back to normal. I remember the exact moment that the reality hit me. I had just walked in the front door after school and saw my dad kneeling on the ground in front of the couch with a hand on the table trying to get himself up, and he was ... crying. It was the first time I'd ever seen him cry, and it hit me hard. After that it seemed like all everyone could talk about was cancer at school, on television, advertisements, everywhere!

Through my entire life my dad had always been there for me, and helped me when I was sick or hurt. However, now the time had come that I should be returning the favour, but I didn't know what I could do to help and try to make him better. While my mom and I were my dad's caregivers during his battle with cancer, there were many people that helped support my mom and I during it all family, friends, the Allan Blair Cancer Centre, Canadian Cancer Society, Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation, etc.

They say a girl's Sweet Sixteen birthday is a special day and one that she will always remember; well I cannot deny this as I remember mine completely. My parents and I woke up early on the morning of Monday November 13, 2000 and headed down to the Allan Blair Cancer Centre in the Pasqua Hospital for my dad to begin his first day of chemotherapy with my mom and me by his side. His first chemotherapy treatment was 3 cycles, and then he was told he was in remission.

A month later they found that the cancer had come back and performed a lymph node biopsy on the back of his stomach, and began chemotherapy again for another 6 months. The doctors then said he was in remission again, so we began to plan for my high school graduation, that was only months away. This time his remission period lasted 3 months. The doctors noticed he had a floating tumour in his stomach and was put on chemotherapy until March 2002, when he went to Saskatoon for some meetings with doctors there and they took stem cells out of his back.

He then was admitted into the University Hospital in May 2002. On his 36th birthday, May 21, 2002, he underwent a self stem cell transplant in Saskatoon; which we now refer to as his rebirth day. We were told he would be recovering in Saskatoon for awhile, and would have to miss my graduation which was insignificant in the larger scale of life. However, my dad fought hard to recover to the levels he needed to be at in order to be released from the hospital and a week before my graduation he was told he can come home, but to take it easy. He attended my graduation, and has remained in remission since May 21, 2002!

My dad's determination is a trait that I inherited from him and, like he fought to be there for my graduation and life, I will continue to fight equally as hard to help others survive their battle. Because of the research and support that the Canadian Cancer Society provides, my dad has been able to be there for my high school graduation, the purchase of my first car, my University convocation, my wedding, and the purchase of my first house - all things that would not have been possible without everyone who helps to support the Canadian Cancer Society ... people like yourself. Thank you for your support and help in making more Survivors!

What Relay Mean to Me
Thursday, November 22, 2012
By: Ashley Williamson

I do it so someone else doesn't know what it feels like to lose their father before they should.

I participate to Relay For Life in memory of my Dad Ron. My dad was diagnosed with liver and bowel cancer the spring I was 12 years old, My dad was in my 12 year old mind invincible, there was nothing he could not do or survive. I learned the truth why too soon and too cruelly. My dad fought like he did with everything else in his life. But unfortunately after less than 11 months he could fight no longer and at the age of 57 he died leaving behind a wife, three kids ages (15, 13, and 10), his mom, two sisters, one brother and a whole lot of extended family. I join relay for life in hopes that no one else one day will have to hear the words "your dad isn't going to make it".
I join so no other family has to feel the pain of losing someone else.
I join so someone else will have their father there to teach them how to drive, scary the first boy they bring home, walk them down the aisle, have that father-daughter dance we all dream of one day having.
I join to no one else feels the helplessness and the anger of losing someone.
I join to help stop the Hurt.

For You Papa
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
By: Adriana Wiebe

The Relay will fall around the 1 year mark of losing our beloved father, papa, husband, son, brother, and friend. Cancer robbed us all of a future with you for that, we relay for YOU papa!

I am lucky and proud to have family & friends help Relay in honor of Papa. This relay will fall around the one year anniversary of our loss and it's my personal goal as well as my team to raise $2500 in papa's honor. If we can help one other family from going through our loss or just to help support this great cause then that's what we'll do.

The Sock Story
Thursday, October 25, 2012
By: Bonnie Smith

What it means to get involved with Relay, and how the focus can bring a family together.

In the spring of 2012, my sisters and I were working hard to fundraise for the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Whitecourt. It was the one thing that kept my sister, Vickie, going every day. It kept her fighting. She was in her fourth year of her fight with cancer. She wanted to raise money to make a difference.

She was not well.

She didn't tell us what it all meant.
We knew it was coming. We just didn't know how soon.

We hosted an amazing fundraiser on Facebook in April. The day the event began, she was so ill with the disease that she couldn't register where things were at. She was in hospital. Cancer had built a home in her brain. It would take her ability to walk, and kick the shit out of her speech.

We made the April Auction the focus of everyday. We built what she hoped for. It was her crazy idea and it soared! It was amazing! People came together in every sense of the word, from all across the province to make a dream come true! Once again, she rose up over the hurdles that life had given her, she watched day and night from her chair, the progress that grew. She had hoped for a couple thousand, and we sealed the deal at $10,000.00 before the end of April.
We believed that this type of excitement could keep her going! The thrill of it, the urging every day to get up and see what was waiting for her. No sooner did the Auction end, that my older sister had dreamt up another fundraiser for our team; something to keep us going, and shooting for that mission.

"Socking it to Cancer" was born. Gennie canvassed any store / shop / online business that she could to donate socks to Cancer. And they did. The socks came from large specialty companies. They came from Walmart. They just kept coming! We set up anywhere we could with our banners, and our boxes of socks. No one sold them like Gennie. Over $1000 in socks was sold, before mid-May... and we still had plenty to go.

It was May 20th when my sister called our family together for the first time and explained that they were closing her file at the Cross Cancer Institute. She would be considered Palliative care. This was the end of the treatments. It's honestly the worst thing I have ever heard in my life.

She never went into hospital. She never burdened us with the details, or the caretaking. She passed away in the early morning of May 22nd.

Shortly after the funeral, my sister Gennie called and said she didn't know what to do with the socks. They represented the love we had for our sister. It was never about the money. They represented that we believed that as long as we were fundraising, she was watching, happy, excited, and well. She never lead us to believe different.

But now, we knew different. We were done. She asked what to do. I told her that they needed to be shared. Given to anyone who may need them, enjoy them, or want them. We distributed them to places we thought might reach good people. In the hopes to give back to the places that gave so much, in a time that we needed it.
-The best part was that my sister Vickie always LOVED socks. <3

10 strong years
Monday, October 22, 2012
By: Ben Cudmore

This is about my mothers battle and all of the support she has reviced.

My mother, Michele, has been battling cancer for about 10 years now and she is currently going through chemo for her third time. She's away on a trip right now but she comes home in the next few days and I think she will be surprised to see that my father, brother, and sister have all shaved their heads to support her! I shaved my head right before she left and it made her so happy! I posted a picture of me and my mom on Facebook a few days ago and I planned on donating a dollar for every like or share it would get. PLUS ten dollars for every person who would shave their head and post a picture on my wall :) But! It’s much more popular than i thought it would be, already having close to 1300 likes and almost 600 shares. I've also had about 10 people shave their heads. WOW! Talk about support. I’m planning on donating $1000 and I’m looking for a sponsor so help cover the rest of the likes and shares on my Facebook or match my donation :) I'm excited to participate in the upcoming relay and the ones after it!