This is my 5th year of the CIBC Run for the Cure .  

I am happy to say I have been 4 years Breast Cancer Free!

Being diagnosed with Stomach Cancer on July 2023 was very hard to deal with.  I have gone through surgery and chemo since then.  I am still going through all sorts of ups and downs having gastric surgery to remove tumor along with 80% of my stomach. I am staying very positive and taking it one day at a time!!  I am blessed to have all my family and friends support!!

This will not stop me to do all I can do to beat this cancer.  I believe a cure to one type of cancer will lead to a cure to all cancers.

Please donate ..any amount helps!

This is my 1st Story of my Breast Cancer Journey!

“On average in Canada, 75 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every day”

On November 19, 2019, I was one of those 75 women. To hear those words “Grace you have Breast cancer”. At that moment I was stunned, felt numb, I could not process what I heard and for weeks I felt like I was in a dream but couldn’t wake up. How could this be? I asked myself “how”, I have regular yearly mammogram screening and physicals, “How could this be?” It was real. The lump I felt back in October was cancerous. I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Invasive Breast Cancer. The next days, weeks, months would be the toughest, but the most difficult part was letting my family know, my children, grandchildren and slowly the rest of my family.

Biopsies, CT Scans, MRI's, Body Density(Bone Scans), Operations, chemo, radiation, blood work and yes COVID tests, I went through all that, but what tugged at my heart was not able to hug my kids, grandchildren because of COVID. We went from having a full house, to only my husband and I. My husband Tony was and is my rock and strength. Driving me back and forth to hospital for all my treatments, waiting in the car as no visitors were allowed. Seeing me at my worst after chemo and never once thinking of himself. It was he and I fighting the fight together!!

During COVID, family visits would be "me" inside looking out from my patio door at my beautiful family and "they" looking in at me. Our family video chats and visits were my lifeline, each day getting me through chemo and radiation and giving me that extra push that I needed to overcome the way I was feeling. I have been blessed with so much support and prayers from my family and friends. All the text and emails just to let me know they are behind me always.

My strength, determination and fighting spirit for my family, is the desire to fight this disease so that I will "ALWAYS" be present in their life throughout all their future milestones.

I have my follow-up visits with my oncologists and tests, CT SCAN, Ultrasound, Mammogram. I stay positive!! At the same time, do the worst-case scenarios go through my mind, absolutely “Yes”, as I am sure that all cancer patients and survivors think about and go through and ask ourselves: “will I still be here”? There are lots of moments in that mindset.

I have lots of living still to do! Like we say in Italian “La Vita e Bella” Life is beautiful!!

My wish is to raise as much funds as possible to bring us CLOSER to a CURE.

I have so many things to be thankful for and blessed with. Thank you to all my amazing family and friends! Your support means the world!!

I thank you with all my Heart that this year we can together surpass our goal and bring us closer to end all Cancers!!

Grace