In February, I had the absolute pleasure of meeting a woman named Jaclyn. In the next few paragraphs, I'd like to tell you her story.
It was February, and I was nearing the end of my chemo. I had little to no eyebrows or lashes left, and was on treatment 2/3. I was at the Irving Greenberg Cancer center where I had a follow up appointment with my oncologist, and as I was waiting to see my nurse, I was talking to my mom about my treatment plan. A woman must have heard our conversation because she came over and said, "Are you diagnosed with breast cancer as well?". We quickly learned that we were diagnosed at the same time and were receiving similar treatment plans. Our chemotherapy would be finished around the same time, and we were both going to be doing the pre-surgery course. We shared e-mail addresses that day, and she referred me to ReThink - a program that provides support and education for young women living with breast cancer.
We corresponded over e-mail, where she sent me encouraging messages telling me to "go and eat a big piece of end of chemo cake!" and that I was a real "cancer bulldozer". We had a laugh over how her daughter cut her Barbie's hair off and ran up to her and said, "Look Mama, Barbie looks like you now!". We agreed cancer likes to pick on only the best girls.
Jaclyn's cancer started growing back while she was undergoing chemotherapy, and she told me they would be pushing her surgery date. She felt relief when they removed the tumour, and even e-mailed me the day after to tell me how anxious she had been, but how Dr. Arnaout had eased her anxieties and held her hand while she went under. After undergoing a major surgery, she thought to e-mail me to give me some peace of mind. This is a true sign of her big heart.
Her and her daughter coloured pictures for me so I could see them the day after my own surgery. She sent me a long facebook message saying that she had read my blog, and what I had written had inspired her to start writing "What having cancer at 34 has taught me".
She celebrated her end of radiation, and I remember seeing posts on Facebook of her celebrating and taking a (much needed) vacation. It wasn't until I saw her posts in our Rethink group that I thought something may be wrong. She started asking for advice for severe joint pain, and was having issues with a very bad cough.
She went to emergency where they sent her for a CT scan, and she learned that her cancer had metastasized to her bones, lungs, liver, and shortly after, her brain as well. She was given two months to live.
Today, Jaclyn lost her battle to cancer. Jaclyn has a beautiful family: a husband and two beautiful babies. I feel odd writing about how connected I felt to a woman I only met once. Sometimes, I think once is enough. It only takes one time to create a lasting impact on someone's life. Jaclyn, I think of you daily. I am so incredibly sad to hear of your passing. I think of you every time I look at my scar when I go to shower, when I sit in the Queensway waiting room, and you have been the inspiration needed to push me to volunteer and dedicate my time to breast cancer research.
In my last message from Jaclyn, she told me this:
"Don't let my story scare you. My life may be shortened, but I feel so much more alive then I did before Cancer"
This is a diagnosis that no one should have to live with, yet you did it with absolute bravery, hope and strength. You are the true definition of a warrior.
