By Monet Mann

 

It was Thanksgiving weekend and I was going to make my very first turkey. I had already bought it and put it in the refrigerator to defrost so it would be ready for Thanksgiving Day. I had invited all my friends and we were all very excited. At this point, I didn’t know what life had planned for me. October 11th, 2013 marked the day my life changed. I was diagnosed with Leukemia. When I went into emergency the night before, having received two units of Platelets and four units of blood, I felt like a brand new person who was ready to jump out of that bed and leave that emergency room. Unfortunately, I had to wait until the next morning to meet with the specialist, since by now it was 2:00am. My bestfriend and I anxiously waited all night, trying to get some rest but it wasn’t that easy. The next morning I was transferred from emergency to the Oncology floor; I was still clueless as to where I was going and why. 

To be honest, at this point in time I felt stressed, tired, and definitely not in my senses. I had a constant cloud of darkness and worry over my head. As I was moved to a third location to see a Hematologist (a blood specialist), I saw cancer posters on the walls, examination rooms with funny looking utensils and, instantly, I began to panic and realized that I was in the cancer ward. After asking me some very intimate questions about my family history, such as if cancer has been present before, how many siblings I have, and how old they are, at which point I was holding back tears, I was praying that my most worst thoughts were not going to come true and that everything was going to be okay. The doctor returned to the room, pulled up a stool and sat directly in front of me and my best friend and began to tell me that he see’s abnormal cells in my blood and is 99% sure that it is Leukemia. It was so surreal; it did not resonate until the doctor used the word Leukemia again a few minutes later and I could no longer hold back my tears. They came flowing down and I had no control over my emotions anymore. I could literally feel my heart breaking into a million pieces. The first thing that came to mind was “How am I going to call my parents and tell them this news?”…“What is going to happen with my school, my life, my career”…“Does this mean I am going to loose my hair?!”…“Do I have to drop out of university?” By now I had so many questions and concerns running through my head, I had stopped hearing what the doctor was saying. 

The doctor could not tell me what type of Leukemia I had because to do so he needed to perform a bone marrow biopsy, but, it was a long weekend which meant we would have to wait until the lab was open on Tuesday. Needless to say it felt like an endless weekend. 

I was in my last year of my Concurrent Honours BA/Bachelors of Education (B.Ed) Psychology program. I had two weeks left of teachers college classes for first semester before I was to begin my placement, which I was extremely excited about. I felt like this was what I had been waiting for and what I had been working towards the entire four years that I had been at Lakehead University, and it was all being taken away from me – just like that. The doctor gave me the option of being transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto so I could be closer to my family; I jumped on that idea instantly and told him to begin the transfer as soon as possible. I am so very lucky that once I was transferred to PMH, I was able to begin my treatment within a week. I have been undergoing chemotherapy since October, and unfortunately need a bone marrow transplant to end this battle. Despite the chemotherapy, the side-effects, the physical pain and the great unknown, the worst part of the whole process is not knowing if I have a donor for my transplant. I have hope though, I will find a match, someone out there will be my donor, so help me spread awareness and help save a life. 

Having said all this, I have every intention of pursing my dreams and aspirations I’ve always held. Currently, with the support of my professor, I am taking a class via correspondence, which will give me the remaining credits I need to graduate with my Honours BA. I am writing my final exam in April and intend to make it to my Convocation in June. I am taking an active role in my own cause to spread hope and awareness for those on the same rollercoaster ride as I am. 

This diagnosis has changed my perspective in the way I see my future and myself. The irony in my diagnosis has been that I have always been a firm believer in living one’s life to the fullest. Don’t have any regrets, carpe diem, que sera sera, etc., etc. The usual inspirational quotes and slogans you so vehemently believe in every day you wake up in the morning. But now, I do not just believe in a piece of paper. I’m living out those words. I’ve created my bucket list, starting with a 6-week trip across Europe this summer. I will not be living my life with any regrets, I will be seizing every day that I am given, and I will cherish and truly live in every moment. If nothing else, I hope to inspire others to do the same. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, not only for me but everyone, so why not seize the day because we will not have today, tomorrow.”

 

Vancouver Swabbing Event

 

Hailu Mulatu, a coordinator of donor management for OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network, says all ethnic communities in Canada are underrepresented in the donor registry.

There are now some 1,000 Canadians are waiting for an unrelated stem cell donor. Out of these, 42 are black and 41 are South Asians.

When a patient needs a stem cell or bone marrow transplant, the first thing physicians do is test the patient’s siblings. There is a less than 25 per cent chance patients who need a donor a match will find it with a sibling or family member — the majority have to rely on someone they do not know.

For everyone in Vancouver BC, we will be hosting a Swabbing Event on March 30th, 2014 at Dukh Nivaran Gurdwara - 15255 68 Avenue, Surrey BC from 11AM-5PM. 

If you are between the ages of 17-35 please come out and help save a life, show your support and help spread the word. If you are over the age of 35 and want to help in some way, please know that you can donate blood, platelets and other blood products at your local Canadian Blood Service Clinic.