Relay for Life is a chance to help create a world where no one fears cancer. Where you, your family, friends and colleagues come together to help save lives through ground-breaking cancer research and support those living with cancer today.
Headlining this year’s Relay for Life North Shore is B.C.-based country band, ME AND MAE. Recently, band member Shawn Meehan lost his mother from uterine cancer, and today we hear the story of her fight.
This is a story of denial. One that had a probable solution, or cure. The idea of admitting that she had cancer was far worse than anything that she could do – and she lived in denial until it was too late to cure.
Since 2010, Meehan’s mother had been suffering from the disease with the situation becoming more and more dire as time passed. Although she was told that there was a 99 per cent survival rate had she undergone surgery, she was reluctant and decided to put it off. She pushed away anyone that tried to mention her cancer to her and was scared to pieces of the idea of having to get surgery.
Due to her fear and her denial, she opted for a naturopathic approach in hopes of combating the disease. This man had convinced Meehan’s mother (along with several others) that she would be cured if she decided to receive natural treatments from him instead. Over time, her 130-pound body withered away to a mere 80 pounds. Throughout the years, she was reluctant to admit how dire her disease had become, and finally accepted to receive chemotherapy in hopes of fighting off the cancer.
As the chemotherapy appeared to help, the situation grew more serious and she had come to accept that the cancer was truly a desperate predicament. However, she again decided to turn to naturopath and halted the chemo, even while it seemed to be working.
The cancer had become so bad that she was unable to digest food and took painkillers to minimize the pain, and six months later she sadly succumbed to the disease.
While Meehan believes his mother would have survived had she chosen to receive surgery from early on, he’s glad that he was able to support and love her in whichever decision she had made.
The naturopath in which Meehan’s mother visited was later charged by 14 individuals, on the basis that it was unclear whether they were actually able to provide proper recommendations on a professional manner.
Either way, Meehan does believe in naturopathic methods for many ailments but believes that when dealing with a case as dire as cancer, that modern medicine is the only sufficient means.
The case above, as unfortunate as it may be, is a clear indication as to why early treatment is so crucial. Although this case could have been prevented, denial chose to rear its ugly head and a natural healer that had no means of helping this women chose to overstep their medical boundaries.
A mother was lost. A sister was lost. A friend was lost. Let this be a notice of caution to anyone who has a fighting chance. Take the steps at an early state and let your fate lie within your own hands – to fight another day, love another day and live another day of your precious life.
Relay for Life 2015 Metro Vancouver
Relay For Life in Coquitlam
- When: Saturday, June 6
- Time: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Where: Percy Perry Stadium
- 2015 Theme: International
- Website: www.relayforlife.ca/Coquitlam
Relay For Life in Richmond
- When: Saturday, June 13
- Time: 6 p.m. to midnight
- Where: Richmond Olympic Oval
- 2015 Theme: Carnival
- Website: www.relayforlife.ca/Richmond
Relay For Life in North Shore
- When: Saturday, June 20
- Time: 4 to 10 p.m.
- Where: Mahon Park
- 2015 Theme: Western
- Website: www.relayforlife.ca/NorthShoreBC
About Relay For Life
Relay for Life will offer an opportunity for the community to celebrate, remember and fight back and will have all the traditional elements of a Relay including the survivors lap, luminary ceremony as well as some new activities such as a challenge component and the return of the relay baton. Teams and individuals can sign up to run or walk a five kilometres, 10 kilometres, half marathon or full marathon at relay this year.
Vancity Buzz is a proud sponsor of Canadian Cancer Society
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