“You have cancer”! The three scariest words Carrie unexpectedly heard one beautiful Saturday after her first mammogram. Immediately, her life was turned upside down. She felt like there had to have been a mistake. Carrie never felt sick, did CrossFit nearly every day, followed a very healthy diet and lifestyle. How could this happen?
Andrea’s cancer began with increasing pain in her hips and ribs which were multiple fractures. Prior to multiple myeloma, she was utilizing her social work degree, and experience with horses to develop and deliver an equine therapy program while starting grad studies.
2017 was certainly a memorable year.
In May that year Val’s wife was diagnosed with stage 2 lung cancer. After a partial lung removal in June, she returned home to recover and two days later Val found a breast lump. It was confirmed as breast cancer on July 11th and on August 14th she had a mastectomy with a few minor complications.
Susan felt like she was finally getting her life established as a single woman: bought her own home, had a job she loved designing and building the displays for the Enchanted Forest, and had her two best supporters – her fur babies. In October of 2018 her world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with triple negative invasive mammary carcinoma (a type of breast cancer).
At the age of 30, Stacy found a lump while showering. Despite seeing multiple doctors it took almost a year to be diagnosed with cancer. Stacy regrets not fighting for a diagnosis sooner but has come to learn that this is not uncommon in young women with no family history of breast cancer.
Louise went for a routine mammogram on March 18, 2019. That’s when they found 2 masses on her left breast and was diagnosed with breast cancer a few days later. She then had surgery to remove the cancerous tumor April 16th, started chemotherapy in June, and then radiation October.
Before her diagnosis Brandy had no experience with cancer – only what she had seen on movies and social media. She first felt a large lump and went to have it checked as she was scheduled for a breast reduction in about a week. Brandy recalls first being sent for an ultrasound, then mammogram and then a second lump was found.
At the age of 30, Angelena, a wife and a mother of two beautiful girls, enjoyed her work as an RN at the Royal University hospital in Saskatoon. In early 2018, she found out that she was pregnant again. At the end of March 2018, she had some routine bloodwork done that showed abnormal results. She was hospitalized that same day was later diagnosed with AML.
Before being diagnosis with cancer, Amy’s life was very exciting. In May of 2016, she finished her Doctorate of Pharmacy, specializing in cancer care (University of Toronto). In July, she purchased her first home. In September, she married her husband, Marc. Then – in November, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. That diagnosis changed the trajectory of her life.
Pam has high praise for the Pink wig Foundation and its donors: “You are some of the most beautiful people around. Without you, cancer creates barriers. You are assisting people like me in living whatever form of life we have, without financial barriers holding us back in achieving our dreams. You are truly amazing!”
