Relay For Life Rally

Young cancer survivor tells her story

Here's the press release I wrote for The Sentinel-Review to promote the Relay For Life Rally set for Wednesday, Feb 29 at 7 p.m.
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By Mark Schadenberg
The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) national motto 'celebrate . . . remember . . . fight back' is woven into the hearts of all participants in the annual 12-hour walk known as Relay For Life.
The 13th annual benefit in Woodstock is June 15-16 at CASS high school. The organizing committee's chosen theme is Field Of Dreams.
The guest speaker for this year's Relay For Life Rally on Wednesday, Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. knows all about remembering, fighting back, and now celebrating her on-going dream to defeat cancer permanently.
Michelle Bisaillon will have the keynote address at the Rally planned for Feb. 29 at Quality Hotel & Suites on Bruin Blvd.
Bisaillon is the storyteller, recalling her battles with cancer over the past seven years. Every cancer survivor has a unique story. For Bisaillon, she was just 14 when diagnosed with leukemia.
According to a profile story published in The Paris (Ont.) Star newspaper just last month, her list of treatments only begins with chemotherapy. At an age when the pressures of life should be about the semesters at high school, her life included bone marrow testing, lumbar punctures, blood clots and nerve damage. Bisaillon was a patient in intensive care at McMaster Children's Hospital.
The entire medical chart will be revealed in her speech.
However, now a few short years later, Bisaillon is a second-year student at McMaster University. Due to cancer though part of her right leg has been amputated.
To celebrate or remember the two-year anniversary of the amputation, Bisaillon received a tattoo: 'What doesn't kill me will only make me stronger'.
"(The tattoo) is a discussion point and a great way to advocate with different groups that I volunteer with," Bisaillon was quoted in the Paris newspaper.
University studying is directing Bisaillon toward a career as a social worker and she wants to concentrate her efforts in one particular specialty -- the oncology ward at McMaster Children's Hospital.
"I can give (children diagnosed with cancer) hope at the time when it's hard and tell them there is a light at the end of the tunnel," said Bisaillon.
The Relay For Life Rally is designed to introduce the 13th annual event's theme of Field Of Dreams, notes committee co-chairs Kim Whitehead and Keri Axon. The volunteer steering committee number is close to 40 and the overall total of volunteers -- leading up the event and for the day itself, is over 250. Anyone planning on participating in Relay For Life this year is invited to attend the Feb. 29 rally.
Last year, 68 teams registered in Woodstock and over $275,000 was raised. This year, the goal is 75 teams and $300,000. You may register a team online at www.relayforlife.ca/woodstock, visit the CCS office at 65 Springbank Ave North, or call (519) 537-5592. New volunteers and corporate sponsors are also invited.
The Oxford unit of the CCS is part of the organizing group for Woodstock, but also has Relays scheduled for Tillsonburg (Annandale school on June 8-9), and Ingersoll (IDCI on June 22-23).