Prairies Region, Calgary

In the fall of 2009, while training for my 5th Marathon in Las Vegas, I discovered lumps in my groin and experienced incredible discomfort. The discomfort was so great I opted not to run, instead working with health care professionals to find a resolution to the pain. I was 48 years young.

On December 8, 2009 I received my diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin?s Lymphoma.  At that point I wondered how I would tell my husband, daughters and siblings; wondered how i would face the fear of telling my Mom.  I was so sad as I thought about my grandkids and the possibility of not watching them go through their lives. As a family, we had watched with sadness as cancer ravaged my father just a few years before.  Why lie? I was afraid I would die.  I did not believe that you got this diagnosis and survived.

I began Chemotherapy in January of 2010 and went through the typical chemo-related losses such as nausea and hair loss.  The few things that I did not lose: my appetite and the sense of entitlement to my life.  I am still receiving chemo treatments every three months (rather than every three weeks), and the quarterly chemo cocktails maintenance treatments will hopefully keep my cancer away for many years. I will continue to go for treatments for one more year.
 
I decided after my third treatment that I needed to begin running again. I successfully completed a half marathon with my daughter and some incredibly special friends; some friends that I had known for a lifetime and others that I had met along my journey to recovery.

I am so fortunate in the love and respect that I have received from so many during my cancer journey.  I have had the joy of seeing life through different lenses.  I hope that I am a much more positive person than I was before, and am finding that the gift is truly in the moments that enrich our lives.  I have a husband, and I treasure 5 daughters, 4 granddaughters, 2 brothers, 2 sisters, 2 brothers-in-law, 2 sisters-in-laws and my wonderful nieces and nephews.  I am so happy for every moment that I spend with them.  I am looking forward to trips, graduations and the everyday life treasures we often take for granted. I believe that the positive attitude of my family and the amazing friends that I have made throughout my life have increased the richness of my life.

Your dedication to fundraising through TNT has brought forth new treatment plans.  I am living proof of the results of a drug, Rituximab (Rituxan), which has been researched by LLS. This drug increases my life expectancy, and that of many others.  I will not squander a minute of the gift I have been offered. Thank you is nowhere near adequate, but they are the only words I have for the gifts I have been given.

Thank you for selecting me to be the TNT Summer Team of 2011 Prairies Honoured Hero.  I am so happy to have met so many amazing people who bring such hope to those of us who have a form of blood cancer. I am so happy to be a part of your journey to the finish line.

Honoured Heroes are very special individuals who have battled, or are battling, a form of blood cancer.  Team In Training (TNT) participants train and participate in endurance events in honour of these courageous individuals.

So often people are asked to raise funds for a charity with very little understanding of how valuable their efforts are.  By honouring a member of our own community, and hearing their story firsthand, participants are able to understand the extreme value of their efforts.  As the distances get longer and longer in training and at races, they can think of their honoured patient and push through to the finish.

If you are interested in learning more about the Honoured Hero Program, or if you would like more information on how to become an Honoured Teammate, please contact Marina Giovannetti, Patient Services Manager, at 1-866-548-5433.