The impact of a cancer diagnosis

I feel like I’m holding my breath when I’m awaiting results from a medical test, such as blood work, a biopsy or an MRI. It’s not until I have the results that I can finally exhale. I attribute this distressing response to being diagnosed with stage II breast cancer at 24.

If you’ve received a cancer diagnosis or have seen a loved one go through cancer up close, you understand how horrific it is. The impact of cancer—a disease for which there is currently no cure—can last forever.

For me, a sudden body ache or pain can put me in a tailspin that is challenging to navigate. There have been countless times when the thought of relapse has paralyzed me with fear. I immediately panic about whether I’m going to die and feel devastated at the idea of having to go through chemotherapy again — if even afforded the opportunity.

For many people, cancer spreads, and it’s too late to treat it. Doctors tell you to get your affairs in order because all treatment options have been exhausted, like in my father’s case.

In 2002, my father was diagnosed with cancer. He had multiple surgeries and underwent numerous rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Sadly, his cancer spread, and there was nothing more they could do. He died in 2006 at the age of 58, five months after I had received my cancer diagnosis.

My father’s death is still hard for me to accept. I don’t know anyone who loved life more than he did. He was always kind, loving, and happy. He cared so much for his family and friends and deserved to grow old. It feels unfair to know he didn’t get the chance to do so.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, nearly 1 in 2 Canadians is expected to develop cancer during their lifetime. This statistic alarms me because, for me, it has become real. I grew up in a family of six, and half of us — my dad, mom and I — have received a cancer diagnosis. We are “1 in 2 Canadians.”

Today—August 31, 2020—marks 15 years of me being cancer-free. I am very blessed to share that today because I have been given a wonderful gift in life—more time.