My hero and I
On April 2, 2023 I will be running a full marathon in Paris to support the Pancreatic Cancer Action network - for my Mom, currently a Pancreatic Cancer survivor.
In the summer of 2021 my Mom started showing very vague nagging symptoms. She was complaining for a month about feeling full after eating very little, and eventually started experiencing cramping that progressed after every meal until she was sick, and then would slowly start again after every meal until she was sick again. On August 6th, the night of her 62nd birthday, the cramps became too much and she finally went to the Emergency Room. The news that followed changed all of our lives. We were told my Mom had a mass on the head of her pancreas which turned out to be pancreatic adenocarcinoma, an aggressive cancer with an 11% 5 year survival.
Initially staged at stage IV and made palliative, we received miracle when her liver spots turned out to be unrelated to her cancer, which meant she would be eligible for a Whipple procedure. 3 months of chemotherapy, a Whipple in January of 2022, and another 3 months of chemo really tested my Mom's resilience, but she persevered. I am happy to tell you that today she is 1 year post Whipple with a clean scan as of yesterday and no evidence of disease. Her and my Dad are living their best lives and are about to go to Hawaii for the remainder of the winter. Blessed and grateful are understatements for our family.
Some shout outs I would love to make:
Dr. Tsang - Mom's incredible surgeon at St. Joseph's Hospital in Toronto. She truly believes her patient's can not only have more time, but actually beat this aggressive cancer. She's barely older than I am, a few inches shorter than I am, and maybe 100 pounds soaking wet, and she just might be the most hardcore, kick a** woman I've ever known. When she called to give my Mom her post-op results you could hear her excitement when she told us her margins were clear and not one of the 27 lymph nodes tested were positive. She is my She-Ro.
Dr. Spadafora - Mom's oncologist through the Algoma District Cancer Program. We wouldn't be here without her.
The incredible nursing staff of the Algoma District Cancer Centre Chemo Unit, and Unit 3 at St. Joseph's Hospital. The Bayshore Home Healthcare Team for taking care of my Mom after chemo for 3 days each round - we love you. Dr. Ko at St. Mikes and the staff at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre were also incredible to us. Locally I would also love to acknowledge unit 102 at FMC for being the Unit 3 for Southern Alberta.
To our family and friends who have walked this journey along with us, either bringing food, checking in, being my eyes and ears on Mom when I was unable to be home (Jane and Brenda, Grandma), for talking me through what to expect (Lori). You all know who you are and we could not be more grateful. Within days of diagnosis all of my Mom's siblings, and all 3 kids were home to help and support in any way they could. We were and continue to be overwhelmed by the love and support.
PanCan:
Something interesting about Pancreatic Cancer is that they have discovered that different mutations are treated and respond differently. We opted to get genetic testing on Mom's tumour which not only would determine if she should receive different targeted chemo, but would also allow us to see if her tumour was hereditary and if her kids were at risk. This was a process that would have cost roughly 10 thousand Canadian, which we were about to pay. PanCan took on the entire cost and did all of the organizing so we didn't have to lift a finger for this process. Our rep Julia was absolutely incredible, and continues to be a dear friend of mine. PanCan also funds research on Panc Ca, something I am very passionate about. Last year the pancreatic cancer 5-year survival moved from 10 to 11%, which although is low, means roughly 600 diagnosed patients per year will remain cancer free in 5 years. Through research, I hope that number continues to grow. This is a foundation very close to our family's heart. It is my absolute honour to run this marathon for them.
A message from Pan Can:
With your support, I’m taking bold action to improve the lives of everyone impacted by pancreatic cancer.
Every dollar you give funds life-changing programs and services for patients and their families. Because of you, patients and families receive essential services, resources, information, and support when they are urgently seeking help and hope. They need you now more than ever.
Please make a gift of any size to get me one step closer to my fundraising goal and help PanCAN create a world in which all patients with pancreatic cancer will thrive.
Patients and families need us now more than ever.
I am grateful for your generous support.
Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart,
Candy xx
Printable donation form - print and mail.
