It鈥檚 been quite an eventful 12 months for Yorkton resident and karate instructor Ron Rurak.
Last summer Rurak, then 41, was given some of the worst news a person could receive 鈥� he was diagnosed with Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that occurs when white blood cells known as lymphocytes grow and multiply uncontrollably, attacking the person from within. 鈥淲hen I was diagnosed, it was a shock and not something you could really prepare for,鈥� said Rurak, now 42, adding that while he wasn鈥檛 prepared for the diagnosis, once he got it he immediately set his mind to conquering it. 鈥淲ith that diagnosis, I instantly thought 鈥榟ello no, I won鈥檛 take this lying down鈥� and put all my effort towards beating it.鈥�
So instead of taking some time off to wrap his head around things, Rurak 鈥� who teaches karate in Yorkton and Roblin 鈥� decided to bulk up in preparation of his battle, hitting the gym (Pumphouse Athletic Club) on a regular basis while continuing with his karate classes, although admittedly he says he hasn鈥檛 been able to attend as many as he鈥檇 like. 鈥淭hrough the treatments, by the time the evenings roll around you鈥檙e a little tired, so I鈥檝e probably got about a dozen classes that I鈥檝e trained in this year, although I鈥檝e been instructing more than anything lately.鈥�
The combination of physical workouts and cancer treatments worked, too, as Rurak recently received the news that he is now 100% cancer free; which is yet another thing Rurak says a person can never really prepare themselves for. 鈥淚 took a couple of good friends with me to Regina when I went to see the doctor, and when I went in she told me that I had a clean bill of health and that they didn鈥檛 find anything from biopsies and it didn鈥檛 hit right away, until we started going home,鈥� laughed Rurak, continuing, 鈥淭hen on the way home we were like, 鈥榳ow! That鈥檚 awesome鈥�, and by the time I got home it was like, 鈥榶eah, holy, I鈥檓 back to normal again鈥�.
鈥淭hen the hair started growing back 鈥� or what little there was 鈥� but it still grew back, and everything started getting back to normal.鈥�
Everything including, as it turns out, karate, as Rurak recently discovered that he can once again compete in the sport that he has been involved with since 1989. 鈥淭he thought of competing again hadn鈥檛 crossed my mind a whole lot until recently,鈥� mentioned Rurak. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥楯eez, I can get back in there and do this again鈥�, which is something I wasn鈥檛 sure I鈥檇 be able to do again.鈥�
That鈥檚 exactly what he did, too, as Rurak both officiated and competed at the Parkland Karate Association tournament held this past weekend at Dr. Brass, where he won a silver medal in the Kata competition (forms).
Rurak has also recently found employment at the one place he did most of his cancer battle preparation - Pumphouse gym - as a personal trainer.
In addition, the third degree black belt has also put his mind to yet another goal 鈥� competing in a body building competition next year. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a goal that I set for myself and I set it as I was going through my treatments,鈥� mentioned Rurak. 鈥淚 thought that it was something that I鈥檇 like to try, so I decided to set a goal and I鈥檓 going to go for it and get it done.鈥�
And if the past few months are any indication, when Rurak sets his mind to something, it will get done.
