Saskatchewan women defiant against cancer
Wishes come true for five survivors
Marilyn Young refused to let ovarian cancer dictate the terms of her day-to-day life.
After her diagnosis in 2011, the Prince Albert teacher continued educating special needs students from grades 9 to 12. Despite her doctor’s concerns over her immune system’s vulnerability, Young used her perseverance to send a message to students.
“Going to school with no hair and showing the kids that there’s lots of obstacles out there, I think just showing up and being there taught the kids a lot. That they had to be resilient, that they had to fight things,” she said.
Although she taught for two-and-a-half years after her diagnosis, Young became too ill to continue teaching in August.
Young’s husband surprised her by submitting her name to the Cameco Touchdown for Dreams program. She was among the five winners announced Friday. The three-year program uses donations, as well as funds from Cameco and sales at select Saskatchewan Roughriders games, to grant wishes to women battling cancer.
Young went on an Alaskan cruise.
Four others had dreams granted: Saskatoon’s Barb Obed and Colleen Lorenzen, Hitchcock Bay’s Leslie Cunningham and Regina’s Lisa Duncan.
While Young has been on an Alaskan cruise before, she wanted to share the experience with her husband.
“I wanted to make sure that he had the same visions in his head of the dreams and the beautiful surroundings.”
Young felt positive about her health, but must continue treatments. She has undergone chemotherapy and plans on using a drug designed to extend the lifespan of cancer patients.
Lorenzen also faced a difficult battle; both her mother and sister have had cancer, and both beat it. It was Lorenzen’s turn to win the battle.
She went on a year-long sabbatical from her job after a diagnosis of both ovarian and uterine cancer. Lorenzen requested a newly landscaped backyard sporting a two-tier deck, rock wall and a large flower garden. As she kept putting off installing a backyard, it was a natural choice.
She underwent a surgery to remove the cancer and her uterus, followed by six chemotherapy and 28 radiation treatments before the cancer was eradicated. After all was said and done, Lorenzen completed her treatment on May 22 and enjoyed her new garden.
Young hopes to share the success through fighting regardless of grim medical prospects.
“They’ve told us that ovarian cancer patients have a five-year lifespan, and I’m going on my fourth year,” she said.
“I thought, ‘Nope, I’m gonna be around until (my grandson) goes to school.’ So I just want to live for my family and see them grow and prosper.”
Half of the Touchdown for Dreams funding comes from the sale of pink headgear and pennants like those available at Sunday’s Roughriders game against the Edmonton Eskimos.