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Smithers raises more than $80,000 in Relay for Life
Thursday, June 28th, 2007 by GetawayBC.com
Emily Cavallin is an inspiration.
An inspiration to those who are fighting cancer, those who have survived the disease and those who are dealing with the loss of someone to cancer.
On Saturday night, the young Smithers cancer survivor took to the stage to deliver the poignant Survivor’s Message at the Relay for Life. Her positive attitude and message that adversity can be overcome had the assembled crowd of more than 1,000 people hushed.
Cavallin spoke about how, at the age of 10 in July of 2000, she was diagnosed with bone cancer – the same type of cancer that took Terry Fox’s life. She lost her hair, had her leg amputated and went through 28 weeks of chemotherapy. Through it all, Cavallin has managed to look at the positives the diagnosis has brought to her life.
“I’m not going to go into detail and tell you how cancer made me grow up fast by losing the innocence of my childhood or how cancer stole my leg,” she said. “Because although it is possibly one of the worst things anyone could ever experience, I believe cancer gave me a journey. A life-changing experience. It’s a moment in time where you forget all the insignificant things and see your life for what it really is.”
Cavallin told the crowd of a couple of camps she attended during her recovery that were put on by the Canadian Cancer Society and the positive effect they had on her.
“I have seen the difference it has made in the lives of those kids who are no longer with us,” she said.
This year, she will be returning to one of the camps, but not as a participant, she’ll be going as a leader-in-training.
Cancer has also opened up other doors for her, she said. In February, Cavallin competed in a Noram Tour event, winning a gold medal for Canada in the adaptive snowboarding event. In March, she tore it up at the U.S. Snowboard Association Nationals where she picked up two silvers and a bronze.
“Because of cancer, I am now paving the way for other disabled snowboarders with a dream of one day competing in the Paralympics.”
Despite the hardships of fighting cancer at such a young age, Cavallin said the disease has changed the way she looks at life.
“I may have lost part of my childhood, my leg and my hair but because of cancer I have been give n a new outlook on life,” she said. “The appreciation I have for all the little things life has blessed me with and the cherished opportunities I have been given are indescribable. Cancer effects everyone. Even though no one has the choice as to who gets it, you do have the choice to live your life to the fullest and experience it for what it really is.”
Valley residents of all ages and all walks of life participated in the event, in the form of 44 teams and more than 600 individuals, which raised over $80,000 for the fight against cancer. Over the five years the event has gone in Smithers, more than $500,000 has been raised. For Relay for Life coordinator Jill O’Neill, it was the youth teams and the first-time entries that buoyed her spirits.
“We had probably half new teams this year and that, to me, is a good indicator of the future of the Relay,” she said.
Although less money was raised this year compared to last, O’Neill said she was overwhelmed by the community support.
“It is a huge community event,” she said. “The power of the people that come out is quite unique.”
Austan Ostach, 5, was one of the first to have his head shaven at the Relay for Life. Ostach, who attends French Immersion Kindergarten at Muheim, had been growing his hair for the last two years so he could lose it during the event.
“Because kids with cancer lose their hair,” he said.
Mom Virginia Craig said Austan and a friend first committed to growing their hair with this purpose in mind but only Austan followed through.
“He wavered a little bit in this last month but he decided he would hold out because it was what he wanted to do,” she said. “I think he’s a pretty incredible kid.”
While the crowds were gathered around the Wellness Tent where the head shaving was taking place, Donna Stenger had the bulk of her curly locks shorn off by a friend using a pair of scissors donated by the Smithers Fire Department which were more suited to snipping bandages. Stenger said she took part in the impromptu hair cut to show support for her brother who has been diagnosed with cancer.
“I wanted to do this for Joe,” Stenger said.
Smithers RCMP Const. Tess Landry was also at the Relay for Life but was not sitting in the barber’s chair – yet. Landry is riding in the Cops for Cancer Tour de North – a bike ride taking place in September that will see more than 20 RCMP officers from Northern B.C. detachments riding from Prince George to Prince Rupert to raise money for pediatric cancer.
“It’s going to be long and grueling,” Landry said. “I like to see the RCMP get involved in the community. I thought it was something I could do to help.”
Landry, who currently sports dark hair that falls below her shoulders, has agreed to have it all taken off if she reaches her fundraising goal of $10,000. The campaign has just begun and she already has raised nearly $800. To donate or for more information, go to www.cancer-tours.com and click on Cops for Cancer, Tour de North. ;