With a number of local individuals and groups receiving recognition this year, the Canadian Cancer Society' s southeast Saskatchewan unit held its annual general meeting in Estevan March 29.
The Weyburn-based outfit presented a handful of awards and its financial statement at the meeting which was held in the Nicholson Centre.
Among the honourees were a pair of Estevan school's whose support of the annual Relay for Life earned them the Southeast Unit Certificates of Appreciation. Both St. Mary's School and Pleasantdale School held mini-relays in advance of the Relay for Life which were extremely successful, raising thousands of dollars each. Also earning a certificate of appreciation was Weyburn native Tenille Arts. The up and coming country music artist was honoured for her long-term support of the Country Music Jamboree which is held annually at Nickle Lake near Weyburn.
Two young Estevan residents were also feted for their commitment to the Relay for Life. Mary Renard and Amber Dukart, who have both been heavily involved in Relay activities over the past few years, both received the Volunteer Leader of Tomorrow Award.
Receiving division certificates of appreciation were the Family Place, Canadian Tire, Jerry Mainil Ltd., Weyburn This Week and Myrna McFadden of M&M Concession in Weyburn. Four division special awards were presented to June Irine, Peggy Nixon, Marlene Cleveland and Margaret Skjonsby.
The highlight of the meeting was a speech by Estevan resident and cancer survivor Carol Cundall who gave an inspirational talk about her battles against the disease.
Cundall said she began having issues as far back as 2005 when she was having constant coughing and breathing issues and figured she had contracted either pneumonia or bronchitis. The problems progressed to the point where she could barely walk one block before running out of breath.
"I thought I must have something severe but cancer wasn't on my mind and I really didn't have it pencilled into my agenda," Cundall said.
Although cancer wasn't initially on her radar, Cundall said it emerged as a likely possibility after she noticed a dimple in her breast that had the tell-tale signs of the dreaded disease.
Shortly after noticing the dimple, Cundall underwent a mammogram and ultrasound in Regina.
"We were in a hurry to get back to Estevan and I did not get to Francis before my cellphone rang," she said. "He said they saw something, I have already booked you in to see a surgeon. You need to turn around and get back to Regina.
"I thought I was just worried about what I was going to have for lunch, how could this be happening to me? I was just shocked."
Cundall underwent her first surgery on Dec. 23, 2005 and it confirmed that she did indeed have cancer. Adding to her woes was the news that the surgeons were unable to remove all of the cancer during the surgery and that her margins were not clear.
"Within two weeks I was back in for surgery. They phoned me and said we need to get that breast off."
Although she went through a number of peaks and valley throughout her journey, Cundall's cancer is in remission and she since has turned her focus to helping others who are battling the disease.
"The one thing when I was in treatment was I wanted to talk to someone who was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and who was doing great," she said. "I was terrified, I was dying, I wanted somebody else to have that and still be alive. My mind needed reassurance and I thought if I get well, I am going to volunteer and be part of the peer support network.
"Three years ago I received a call from a family friend in Brandon. She wanted to know if I would talk to somebody with stage four breast cancer. It was great, I realized we had so much in common."
Cundall said since speaking with that first woman she has since built up a network of people from across the country whose cancer is similar to hers.
"They are all in different parts of the country, different ages, but they all have similar questions. We talk about dying, eulogies, funeral music and a lack of clothes.
"One of my matches was so worried she was going crazy, she would hear a song and think it would be great for a funeral and start to cry. She was so relieved to hear that I had done the same thing.
"Every one of my matches always starts with 'how are you doing?' I thought at first about how sweet that was but then I realized they want reassurance that I am OK because maybe then they'll be OK. You're not alone in the battle, peer support provides hope and it provides listening and understanding because we have all been there."
The southeast unit also went over its financials at the meeting and thanks in part to successful Relays for Life in Estevan and Weyburn, they had a revenue of $576,000 in the 2010 financial year.
The Estevan Relay was a big part of that total, bringing in $150,000 while the Weyburn Relay was also strong with $100,000 raised.
