Maureen's Story

With a lot of help from my beloved pets, family and friends, I am slowly finding may way back after surviving two bouts of cancer, and I consider myself a very, very lucky woman.  I was 56-years-old and living in Pembroke, Ontario when I was diagnosed with very aggressive, stage-3 uterine cancer in the spring of 2006.

In October of that year, I travelled to Ottawa for complete hysterectomy surgery, followed by 25 rounds of radiation. During one of my treatments, doctors performed a full body CT scan and discovered a spot on my left lung. The doctors weren’t sure if it was scar tissue or cancer. I thought it might have been scar tissue as well from an earlier case of bronchitis. What followed next was utter shock. The news that I might have lung cancer-completely unrelated to her uterine cancer. I couldn’t believe what was going on. There is no real cancer in my family and I’ve always been fairly healthy, took vitamins and ate healthy foods.

I also had zero symptoms of lung cancer. Ibelieve my  years of stress and losing a business, contributed to my vulnerability to the disease. I think it had a lot to do with the combination of the stress from losing that business and a great deal of money too.

A biopsy followed in December, where three samples of my upper left lung were taken.  In the beginning I was in shock, but now I’m a fighter. The biopsy revealed what doctors already suspected, stage one lung cancer. Half of my upper left lung had to be removed. In the early summer of 2007, I moved back to my hometown, Toronto and had the surgery. When I found out I had lung cancer, I knew I had to come back home for more support. It’s the support that I received at home that got me  through the recovery process, They made me become a stronger fighter.

I thank Dr. Andrew Pierre, a thoracic surgeon  at Toronto General Hospital for his kindness and non-invasive surgical technique, with which he performed my surgery. Unlike previous methods of lung removal surgery, Dr. Pierre was able to go in from my back, and make three small incisions, rather than going in from the front of her chest, and spreading my ribs. I was able to get up and walk the next day, but I was terribly scared, fighting for my breath. Trying to get used to breathing with one-and-a-half-lung takes patience and practice, but with a positive outlook and a dedicated will to live, I am determined to fight cancer no matter what.

There are good days and bad days. On the good days I’ll cook up three meals a day, take my small boarder collie, “Providence” out for walks or visit the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto for some antique shopping. My proudest accomplishment this summer was when I took my old Rally 3-speed bike out for a spin. I also spends my free time volunteering at Lung Cancer Canada, and at my local church. I also enjoy a good read—history is my favourite subject. I maintain a healthy diet of fresh fruits and vegetables and fish and follow up with my medical team every 6 months to ensure the cancer is still in remission.

A few parting words of advice for those fighting lung cancer as well-try and stay calm and be a stronger fighter with a positive attitude- moving full force ahead.