“Reach out.”

That’s Macushla Ginivan’s mantra. That’s what she says, over and over, to the people she meets who have been diagnosed with cancer.

“Reach out. There is support available. There are so many people in the community who want to help and can help. Find people who will listen to you without judging you, who will listen to you talk about how you’re feeling. There are so many ways to let people into your circle.”

As a survivor of colorectal cancer and a volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society for the last dozen years Macushla knows first-hand what she’s talking about. She was diagnosed at the age of 56, after going to her doctor to check out some symptoms in her case, constipation. The diagnosis came as a complete surprise.

“I remember everything the doctor said, but not how I got home that day. I found myself in bed, howling my eyes out. My husband didn’t know what to do with me. The next morning I got up, absolutely furious that I could have cancer, and absolutely determined to beat it.”

That determination paid off. First, Macushla had surgery for a colostomy, then chemotherapy and radiation therapy to shrink the tumours in her colon. During surgery, the doctors discovered that the tumours had penetrated the vaginal wall. The operation took 4? hours, and a doctor told Macushla’s husband that she had only a year to live.

Thirteen years later, at the age of 69, she’s cancer free, and facilitating a colon cancer support group in North York, Ontario. She also visits cancer patients and speaks about cancer prevention for the Canadian Cancer Society.

It’s okay to talk about your cancer, says Macushla, and it’s okay to have all kinds of different emotions, including anger, about the disease. It’s also okay not to be perfect, and to let friends and family help: “If someone asks what they can do, ask them to walk the dog, or pick up some magazines or a few things from the grocery store.” In fact, she says, accepting help is a great way to make friends and family more comfortable with the fact that you have cancer, and to start conversations.

“The continued support I got from people, and from my husband in particular, really gave me the strength I needed to fight this disease. I do believe that because of their help and support, I survived.”