A time to celebrate; a time to remember

Ryen Veldhuis

The Relay for Life has a different meaning for everyone; a time to celebrate and a time to remember. For honourary cancer survivor Rhiannon Buffett, each year is another year to celebrate her victory against cancer—a journey that began eight years ago.

“It’s not an easy pill to swallow,” she described her diagnosis. “I knew there was something wrong with my body.” Buffett said she couldn’t believe the news when she was first told, but sought out as much information as she could to make the best choices for treatment. “I was very fortunate that it was treatable and curable, not everybody gets that prognosis.”

She said it took a while for her to get back on her feet after two and a half months of active treatment and even then it wasn’t until five years after her diagnosis—after multiple visits and check-ups—that she underwent surgery to ensure the cancer would be gone for good.

“It doesn’t matter what age you are,” she emphasised. “I was 25 when diagnosed and during treatment everybody at the hospital kept saying ‘you’re too young for this,’ but I kept telling them no. My parents then made me a pin that said ‘we’re all too young for this,’ because we are. Nobody should have to get that diagnosis and that’s why I’m here today.”

During the opening ceremonies at the CFB North bay on Friday night, hundreds of supporters cheered on more than 80 survivors as they made the initial victory lap to begin the walk, which would go from 6 p.m. to midnight.

Gil Pharand, Senior Manager of the North Bay Canadian Cancer Society was thankful to have so much support from the community—which had raised more than $72,000 before the walk began and seen over 350 participants sign up for the walk.  

“I know all the teams and the participants are doing a great job in their efforts,” he said, overlooking more than 50 teams performing the walk. “One lady even decided this is what she wanted to do for her 50th birthday; getting a team of 50 people and raising $500 on her own. But she raised more than $1,000 and the rest of her team raised about $5,000.”

Pharand said the evening would be full of activities, such as music, Zumba, kids’ activities and the highlight of the night: the luminaries’ ceremony.

“This is a real chance for people to reflect on those they’ve lost, those currently battling cancer, and those who’ve survived.”