Seven years ago, Sandra was given one year to live following a lung cancer diagnosis. Today, she is travelling the world and living a full life thanks to the support of donors like you.
In early 2017, pathology results from surgery confirmed Sandra had stage 3 lung cancer. “When the results came back and they told me I had cancer, I didn’t believe it,” said Sandra. “It was really hard news to take in.” Sandra was told that even with treatment, she likely only had one year to live.
Thanks to donors’ continued support of research, Sandra has benefitted from treatments not available when she was first diagnosed, including immunotherapy and a new type of radiation therapy.
Sandra is thankful to donors like you for the extra time you have given her, “‘Knowing I was only given a year or so to live, and here I am today…it’s pretty amazing.”
While in treatment, Sandra decided to ‘pay it forward’ by including a gift in her will. Her investment in research will one day help someone like her after she is gone.
“In deciding my will, I wanted to give back in a way that resonates with me. I have seen treatment improvements and some successes for lung cancer – for my mother, for myself and now for friends and family. This has been very encouraging, and I want to contribute too.”
Today, Sandra is doing well. She continues with regular appointments and scans and spends a lot of her time doing what she loves – travelling the world. “Travelling is my way of looking forward. Now when I go in for my appointments, people don’t ask me how I am or how I’m feeling, they ask where I’ve been and where I’m going.”
Sandra has seen the progress and experienced the life-changing impact of donor-funded research at the Paul Albrechtsen Research Institute CancerCare Manitoba. Thanks to you, and to Manitobans who have so generously made gifts in their wills, more Manitobans like Sandra will experience more tomorrows doing the things they love.
