Marlene’s Journey: Overcoming Stage 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Breast Cancer

Marlene and I worked at Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers.  Marlene was our Human Resources Manager.  She is an amazing, positive person.  I read this story and she asked us to share.  It's my pleasure to let everyone read about her journey:  

Uncovering a Hidden Threat: Family History and Self-Exams

At 54, with limited health information due to being adopted, I found myself facing an ominous family history of cancer. My biological mother died of cancer at 57, while my aunt battled breast cancer, only to have it metastasize to her brain a decade later. Despite these warning signs, I was initially assured I wasn’t at risk and never underwent genetic testing. However, my vigilant adherence to regular mammograms and ultrasounds revealed a different truth.

Navigating the Canadian Healthcare System: Challenges and Perseverance

May marked a pivotal moment for me when a self-exam uncovered a hardened lump in my right breast. Concerns compounded as my trusted doctor had ceased practice, leaving me without medical guidance. Faced with roadblocks in accessing necessary imaging, I embarked on a quest for answers. Battling bureaucracy and long wait times, I navigated the healthcare system to obtain the crucial tests that would change my life.

Discovering Sanoviv: A Holistic Approach to Healing

Frustrated and in despair, I discovered a beacon of hope: Sanoviv Medical Institute. Inspired by the success story of a colleague’s daughter, I embarked on a journey to this renowned facility in search of healing. With renewed determination, I embraced the opportunity to undergo comprehensive treatment tailored to my needs.

Sanoviv offered a holistic approach that encompassed both medical expertise and compassionate care. Surrounded by a multidisciplinary team of professionals, I embarked on a three-week program designed to combat my breast cancer. From immune-boosting therapies to tailored cancer treatments, Sanoviv provided unwavering support.

Emerging Stronger: Advocacy and Support for Fellow Survivors in Canada

Emerging from my battle with breast cancer and armed with newfound knowledge and a profound sense of purpose, I returned to Canada ready to share my story and support others on their journey to healing.
As I continue my journey towards full recovery, I remain steadfast in my commitment to advocacy and support for fellow survivors. Through organizations like InspireHealth, I seek to empower others with the tools and resources they need to navigate their own path to wellness.

A Testament to Courage

My journey serves as a testament to the indomitable human spirit in the face of adversity. My unwavering resolve, coupled with the support of loved ones and the expertise of medical professionals, has carried me through the darkest of times. As I look towards the future with hope and optimism, I stand as a shining example of resilience and courage in the face of adversity.

A Message from Learn Look Locate

At Learn Look Locate, Marlene’s courageous battle against breast cancer touches our hearts deeply. Her resilience, dedication to early detection, and unwavering resolve in overcoming challenges serve as a beacon of inspiration for us all. We are honored to share her story, offering a platform for survivors to come together, learn, and find solace in one another’s experiences. Through our diverse range of resources including Marlene’s survivor narrative, our mission is to empower individuals at every phase of their cancer journey. We proudly stand by Marlene and all those who demonstrate remarkable courage, celebrating their strength and reminding the world that hope shines brightest, even amidst life’s greatest trials.

Interesting facts

 

That was a wonderful day!

We started out the day at The Derby restaurant and it didn't disappoint.  Miss Vyvyanne is Richard's horse.  It was her first race this year at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.  We had a nice lunch and watched Race 7:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwAynGHx0vk

Richard, my brother-in-law turns 86 on May 1st.  We can't celebrate on May 1st as he's off to Oregon for a golf tournament.  So last night we had a family dinner.  Richard's favorite dish is chili and Sam's is hot dogs, so we had a chili and hot dogs!  We celebrate every year with a back yard barbeque, but yesterday's rain we took it inside.  

Grandson Sam turned 13 on April 13th so we celebrated both birthdays.

Sam had an ice cream cake and Richard had a lovely chocolate cream cake!

Woodbine resumes horse racing today!

Horseracing resumes today at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.  Miss Vyvyanne, my brother-in-law's horse is running in Race #7.  If you are a fan or just want to watch it, you can view it live:

https://woodbine.com/race/#!/WOT/1/2024-04-27 

The racing starts at 1:10 EDT.  Race 7 should be around 1:15 PDT

Woodbine - Saturday, April 27, 2024, Race 7 

1. Red Mentec Mississauga Industrial Equipment Ltd., Big Willow Stables and Michelle M. Love Michelle M. Love 7-2 Omar Moreno Royal blue, yellow horseshoe, yellow sleeves, royal blue and yellow cap Foolish Games Õ 4 y.o. (May) Ch. f. (ON) by Reload - Jungle Jewel (Horse Greeley) (L) 123 

2 White Gabe Grossberg Mark E. Casse 8 Sofia Vives Teal, purple diamond hoop, teal sleeves, purple cap Ya Mar Õ 5 y.o. (Apr) Dk B/ Br. m. (ON) by Silent Name (JPN) - Shyama (Henrythenavigator) (L) 118» 

3 Blue Hoolie Racing Stable, LLC and Bruce Lunsford Barbara J. Minshall 5-2 Emma-Jayne Wilson White, purple 'H,' purple stripes on sleeves, white cap Botta Swing Õ 4 y.o. (Apr) Ch. f. (ON) by Not This Time - Lady of the Glen (Purim) (L1) 123 

4 Yellow Norseman Racing Stable John Mattine 20 Luis Contreras Black, red norse helmet in white ball, two red hoops on black sleeves , red and black cap Cara Cara Õ 4 y.o. (Mar) B. f. (ON) by Signature Red - Citrus Storm (Stormy Atlantic) (L) 123 

5 Green D. Rowbotham and Partners 3 Martin Drexler 6 Ryan Munger $30,000 Gold, burgundy emblem, burgundy sleeves, burgundy cap Veery 6 y.o. (Apr) Ch. m. (ON) by Giant Gizmo - Roust 'Em Bertie (Bertrando) (L) 122 

6 Black Lisa McCallum-Smith David Borsk 12 Jose Campos $32,000 Yellow, green diamond sash, yellow cap Ima Beast 7 y.o. (Feb) B. m. (FL) by The Big Beast - Eclectic Run (Robyn Dancer) (O) 123 

7 Orange Lightning Bolt Stables Julia Carey 3 Sahin Civaci Navy, gold lightning bolt, gold sleeves, gold cap Miss Vyvyanne 4 y.o. (Jan) Ch. f. (FL) by Rainbow Heir - Caribean Beat (Half Ours) (L) 123 

8 Pink Carlo D'Amato Abraham R. Katryan 12 Leo Salles $32,000 Black, purple hoop, purple sleeves, purple cap Verdejo 5 y.o. (Feb) Ch. m. (KY) by Fed Biz - She's Justa Friend (Hussonet) (L) 123 L-Lasix, A-Adjunct, L1-First Time Lasix, O-Lasix Off 

Probable Favourites: 3-7-1-5

Red Hat Society Day

Red Hat Society Day is celebrated annually on April 25th as a commemoration of the anniversary of the first meeting of the Red Hat Society in 1998. It is a social organization for women over age 50 focused on social interaction and bonding. Nowadays, it is open for all women of all ages. Yet, women under 50 should wear a pink hat and lavender outfit, while women over 50 should wear a red hat and purple outfit, just like the poem "Warning" by Jenny Joseph says:

"When I am an old woman I shall wear purple With a red hat that doesn't go and doesn't suit me."

I've been a Red Hat member since 2013.  Every month we get together for a nice lunch.  We all buy our own lunch and eat at many different restaurants, members back yards and in COVID one group met at a park, took their own lunch and chairs and sat 6 feet apart.

Yesterday, we went to Mulberry Parc, an independent living residence in Burnaby to celebrate Red Hat Day.  They supplied our lunch and it was excellent.  

We had afternoon tea.  The sandwiches and goodies were excellent.  We were met with sparkling wine or sparkling apple juice.  They served tea and coffee and we met the cook!

Group photo

Some ladies were in the rest room, get the group together again, not easy so we took another picture

A great afternoon with lovely ladies!  

Do you feel over taxed?

 

Vancouver Canucks are in the playoffs

Brad took his two nephews to the hockey game last night.  They didn't win, but I'm sure they will remember it for years to come.   

Look who Sam got his picture with!

In case you aren't a Canucks fan, it's Sam and Ryan Kesler, a former Canuck who played in the Stanley Cup finals in 2011.  He lives in the US now, retired and tonight he brought his son to the game!  

Genealogy

I have been doing genealogy for the past few years.  I've really enjoyed what I've found out and encourage anyone that is interested to give it a try.  Our local library has a genealogy center and offers free seminars.  You can also attend the library and with any library card, you access many paid databases for free.  The staff is amazing and will assist you.

Everyone has:

2 parents

4 grandparents

8 great-grandparents

16 second great-grandparents

32 third great-grandparents

64 fourth great-grandparents

128 fifth great-grandparents

256 six great-grandparents

512 seventh great-grandparents

1,024 eighth great-grandparents

2,048 ninth great-grandparents

Think for a moment about how many struggles, happiness love stories, and hope for the future that your ancestors had to undergo for you to exist in this present moment.

The biggest surprise I found in my research is an ancestor William Winterford.  I know he's related by DNA but I can't figure out exactly what generation he is.  There are so many relatives in my tree.  He was born in 1834.  He emigrated to Australia from the UK and was the first owner of the Regatta Hotel that still stands in Brisbane on Coronation Street. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regatta_Hotel

 

Thanks to my cousins Sharon Racine in Brisbane and Stephen Winterford in Portsmith for all their work on our family tree.  We are all related by DNA.  If you haven't done your DNA, it's fascinating!  

Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer won the Best Picture this year.  The film was incredible.  If you haven't seen it, you would really enjoy it.  It's a long film but so well done.  Julius Robert Oppenheimer was born in New York City on April 22, 1904.  Happy Birthday!

Julius Robert Oppenheimer   1904 - 1967

In 1942, Lieutenant General Leslie Richard Groves, head of the Manhattan Project, selected the American physicist to lead the development of the world's first nuclear weapon on Los Alamos, New Mexico. His team's work resulted in the deployment of two bombs over Japan; the first was deployed on August 6, 1945, on Hiroshima, and the second on August 9, 1945, on Nagasaki. Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945.

The Red Lobster

We've been eating at the Red Lobster since the 1970's.  We found them in Florida on one of our trips to Disney World in Orlando.  On other trips, we would search for Red Lobster.  We were surprised they were in Edmonton as well as other Canadian cities.  The closest one to us is in Lynwood, Washington.  We've visited that location whenever we head south.

It's been reported they lost 11 million dollars.  I found this online:

The restaurant chain is considering filing for bankruptcy amid growing debt, sources with knowledge on the matter told Bloomberg.   

The restaurant has been finding it difficult to make money with their current leases and labor costs, and are currently seeking advice from commercial law firm King & Spalding in order to figure out how to restructure to cut costs, the outlet also reported. 

The sources said that Red Lobster still hasn’t made a final decision when it comes to whether or not to file for bankruptcy, but noted that it would help the business continue to operate while they figure out their next plan, which may include renegotiating some leases and removing some contracts.

Let's hope they can work it out and not file for bankruptcy.  Brad tells me many restaurants are having a tough time.  

If you haven't tried these, I suggest you try them.  They are delicious and available at supermarkets and Costco.  I hope they are never discontinued as they are the nicest biscuits I've ever eaten.  

Happy 80th Birthday Jamil

Yesterday was our long time friend, Jamil's 80th birthday.  His wife invited their three children, their significant others, the two lovely and very well behaved grandchildren and some other life long friends.  We all surprised him at Seasons in the Park.

By the time we got to this picture, two sons and the grandchildren were gone.

The weather was so lovely people were eating outside

The view from the restaurant is amazing!

Intriguing information

 

That explains it

I never knew this

A woman ahead of her time.  Good for her!

Time to book a cruise

It's probably better than the meals on Air Canada

It pays to fact check and I did.  This is not correct, but I thought I would leave it in.  Here is the information from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:

Scientists estimate that roughly half of the oxygen production on Earth comes from the ocean. 

Happy Thursday

 

Cruising with friends and neighbours!

Cec and I have always said our best cruises have been with friends.  Our very best cruise was last August when I was invited to a Ritchie Bros. Reunion cruise with 575 people I worked with.  They all brought their spouses or a guest and everywhere we walked on the ship, we met friends.  We met them at the theatre, in the dining room and sat in venues with many people we knew.  We reminisced about our working days and I will never forget that wonderful cruise.  They arranged three get togethers at the Sky Lounge and they even sang "The Auctioneer".  So many wonderful memories.

The reason I bring that up, is I saw this on my newsfeed and this cruise must have been a blast!  I've heard the people in Newfoundland are awesome.  I love their music and I can't wait until our trip there in June.  Enjoy this article from CTV!

The Newfoundland Cruise

I remember in elementary school we sang "I'se the B'y".  I better learn all the words before June.  If you don't know the song or want the words, I found this:

I'se The B'y - Great Big Sea - Lyrics , (youtube.com)

Tuesday's smile

 

The Loft at Meadow Gardens

In the late 70's, I worked for Pacific Western Airlines.  Laurie, Alix and I became good friends and we are still good friends.  We meet often for dinner.  Alix and her husband Jamil live in Maple Ridge so we meet at the halfway point which is Meadow Gardens Golf Course.  We've eaten at a lot of golf courses, but the dinners at the Loft Restaurant are fabulous.  Checking their website I see others agree:

The view is amazing and last night didn't disappoint.

The sunset was gorgeous!

A wonderful evening with great friends!  Thanks again Alix, Jamil and Laurie.