Sonia is doing it for the Oncology : the race is my way of saying thank you!

27 March 2018

I decided to participate in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge to support the HMR Oncology Unit because the Unit’s health care staff has been so helpful to me over the past two years. In February 2016, I found out that I had cancer of the parotid gland; a year later, there were bone metastases and I was told that the cancer was incurable and appeared aggressive.

I can’t hide the fact that this news was a huge shock. Thankfully, I also received a lot of love from all of my loved ones. Moreover, I received and I continue to receive excellent care from the medical teams at the HMR. The nurses, the doctors and every other person I meet are experts, competent, comforting and empathetic.

Registering for the race is my way of saying thank you!

What touches me most is that when I asked my family to run with me, neither the runners nor the non-runners hesitated for even a moment. My spouse, my children, my step-children and my sister registered for the race with me and we are raising funds for the cause as a team.

As a member of a triathlon club, I really enjoy going beyond my limits when it comes to sports so it was very difficult for me to slow down, especially during the past two summers when I was having radiation therapy and chemotherapy. This race is a lovely opportunity to get back into it even though my doctor has asked me not to push myself too hard to avoid any bone injuries. So, slowly and with a joyful heart I will run the 10 km on Saturday, April 21^st. I hope to see you there!