Laughs and tears at 2015 Relay For Life launch

Dave was diagnosed with colon cancer in October 2010. He went through operations that removed parts of his colon and intestines.

Since then his wife, Marilyn, has been through four rounds of chemotherapy to treat ovarian cancer and will be going in for her fifth round in a week and a half.

Their daughter also beat acute lymphoblastic leukemia after being diagnosed when she was seven. Despite having a small chance of survival, Marilyn said her daughter kept a positive mindset and is now a mother herself and a pediatric nurse. That positive attitude has carried over to Marilyn.

“It’s nice to be able to portray that little bit of motivation that maybe with this help of the Relay For Life, we’re going to cure this thing,” Marilyn said.

Marilyn shares her story throughout the province trying to promote awareness in hopes of, one day, seeing a cure for cancer.

Speaking to a room full of people at the Saskatchewan Forest Centre, Dave joked about being “a little less full of shit” following his surgery, talking too much and the power of his wife in the relationship. However, behind the jokes and laughs, Dave and Marilyn’s love was expressed through their assuring gestures and hugs to each other.

“It’s tough no doubt. Marilyn is still going through it [treatment] and time will tell, but she’s a fighter. So whenever you have to talk about it it’s tough because it brings everything to the forefront. She lives with it every day. I live with it through her every day, so when you talk about it … everything you thought you put to bed is woke up,” he said, adding it’s an emotional rollercoaster.

According to Dave, they live one day at a time.

“With her by my side a lot of days are two steps because she’s such a positive, strong lady,” he said.

Offering advice to others going through similar experiences, he said it’s important to deal with the issue head on.

“If you’re diagnosed, and it hits you like a hammer—it does, but if you choose to lie down and cry, you’ve lost already. Yeah, you can be mad. Everybody questions themselves why but that’s the wrong question because there is no answer to why,” he said.

“So stand up and fight.”

Leading up to Relay For Life the pair will promote the event, but Marilyn will be going back to chemotherapy treatment in a week and a half.

“Cancer touches everyone … its tentacles are widespread and far reaching. Everyone faces their own battles separately but with the support of their families, groups and event such as the Relay For Life, everybody fights together,” Dave said.

“A relay is a relay, so pass the baton.”

The 15th annual Relay For Life will be held at the Harry Jerome Track at 6 p.m. on June 5. It will end June 6 at 6 a.m.

The event’s goal is to raise more than $234,123, to let others witness more than 250 survivors line up for the Survivors Victory Lap and have more than 53 teams take part in the walk.

For more information about Relay For Life and how to register click here.

sstone@panow.com

On Twitter:@sarahstone84

by Sarah Stone

Laughs and tears at 2015 Relay For Life launch

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