Meet Val

Val is currently employed as a Care Aid at St Paul’s hospital in Saskatoon.

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.

Both Val and her wife were in chemo together. Lucky for them it was on opposite weeks so we could be there for each other. When chemo finished, Val’s wife was accepted into an immunotherapy drug trial for lung cancer, that lasted another 13 months.

Needless to say finances were getting pretty tight.

Val and her wife are currently both NED (no evidence of disease).

With her strong sense of humour, Val sometimes wears a squeaker in her prosthetic boob. If it squeaks when she hug someone she smiles when she hears it, simply because she can.

In Val’s Words

When I received word that I was approved for Pink Wig funding, I felt like a weight was removed from my shoulders. I realize many people unfortunately battle cancer, but when it was both me and my spouse, it was twice as hard financially, but we made due. At the time of my surgery I was working as a casual in three departments which meant very little financial aid from my insurance company.

Tracy Dinh’s legacy of the Pink Wig Foundation helped provide financial, and in turn, mental relief for me and my family at just the right time and we couldn’t be more grateful.