Oct. 17 marked the 16th annual Pink Night hosted by the St. James CWL. The ladies of the CWL put together the program to bring awareness about breast cancer and to raise funds for the Saskatoon City Hospital Breast Health Centre.
The members greeted guests as they came in, helped with seating and then the ladies enjoyed looking at and bidding on the various silent auction items that were donated, checking out the door prizes, buying 50/50 tickets, purchasing pink boxes that had special gifts of jewelry from various businesses and purchasing the 10X envelopes.
The basement soon filled up and everyone was talking and enjoying the company of friends and family. The CWL did a beautiful job of decorating the tables with pink tableclothes and centrepieces. Many of those in attendance wore pink for the evening in honour of all those who have battled breast cancer and guest speaker Karen Gerbig and her family were also in pink.
President Pat Exley, along with secretary-treasurer Colette Frehlich opened the program with a couple of jokes, while a PowerPoint show was organized. Frehlich told the crowd that there was a prayer box where they could put the name of someone who was battling cancer or may have lost their battle, and all those present said a prayer for them. It was a beautiful homage to family and friends of those who have battled cancer.
Maryellen Herzog introduced the evening鈥檚 guest speake, Karen Gerbig.
鈥淚鈥檓 a bit nervous up here as Karen is not only a survivor, but was a Herzog, so there is the family connection,鈥� she said.
鈥淜aren was born in Unity, lived in Clone, attended St. George School until Grade 3, then moved to Maidstone and she has returned to Wilkie to share her experience.鈥�
Karen is a small woman, but has a smile that lit up the room. She started with, 鈥淗ello, ladies. Today was such a beautiful day and it is my 31st wedding anniversary.鈥�
She complimented the CWL on the d茅cor.
鈥淚 had told Maryellen I wasn鈥檛 much of a public speaker, talked to my husband about it and he was the one who said, 鈥榶ou have to tell them about your journey,鈥欌�� she said.
鈥淢y incentive is to be able to help at least one person who may be going through their battle. It is a very emotional rollercoaster.鈥�
She talked about growing up in Wilkie and attending school. She is a registered psychiatric nurse with Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford for 33 years, has three children and was diagnosed four and half years ago.
After finding out about her cancer she said, 鈥淚 felt contaminated, poisoned and numb. I couldn鈥檛 believe this was happening to me, I believed it would never happen to me. [I was] crying and feeling that I was being punished for something.
鈥淚 realized I had choices. My husband and I talked about what was happening and how to cope with it, and it was almost an overload of information from the nurse navigators at the Breast Care Centre, but we held each other, counted our blessings and realized we had to take control.鈥�
She met with her surgeons and was given two options, one to remove the cancerous breast or to remove both and her choice was the second one.
鈥淚 want to get these lethal things off me as quickly as I could,鈥� she said.
鈥淢y surgeons, Dr. Harrington who did the surgery along with Dr. Duval who did the reconstruction, arranged to have both surgeries coincide.鈥�
Karen said a month later, she had surgery 鈥� there was no fooling around with her.
She added that one might think the hardest part was the surgeries, but what was even harder was telling the children what was happening. She said she broke down and her ever-faithful husband finished telling them about what was going to happen. Karen went on to say, 鈥淚f you have love and family around you, you can accomplish anything.鈥�
Waiting for a month for surgery evoked feelings of fear and nervousness, trying to figure everything out. Karen would wish for someone to cancel their surgery, so she could have hers sooner and get the cancer out of her.
When she woke from surgery, there was little pain, but more pain would come. Sleeping was not easy, but her husband on a makeshift bed in her room made it easier. The pain stayed for a couple of weeks, but with help from homecare workers, her husband and her mom, who had just had double hip surgery, she said 鈥渢he disabled helping the disabled.鈥� A mother鈥檚 love has no limit.
After waiting six weeks for tissue results, Karen learned she had stage 1 cancer and the lymph nodes were negative.
鈥淚 was so relieved to find out the cancer hadn鈥檛 spread.鈥�
A month later her oncologist was factual about what could happen. It was suggested chemotherapy would reduce the chance of recurrence. Tissue samples sent to California indicated she was at medium risk for it to return. Chemotherapy started, and it wasn鈥檛 long before she was losing her hair.
She had purchased a wig to match her own hair, but losing hair was only part of what chemotherapy does to one鈥檚 body 鈥� nausea, gagging, loss of appetite and a metal taste in the mouth are others. She had four rounds of chemotherapy and throughout it all she said she needed her fighting spirit, positive attitude, courage and strength.
She did have difficulties with the reconstruction surgery and then her surgeon was also diagnosed with breast cancer, so everything came to a standstill. Six months later she was able to return and have her last round of surgery.
In October 2014, Karen鈥檚 mom was also diagnosed with breast cancer. She opted for radiation and is doing great.
Karen said her husband was her rock and feels so blessed to have his support. His comforting words and positive attitudes, along with comforting calls and texts from her mom, daughters and mother-in-law helped her through her battle.
Karen said losing her hair was worse than losing her breasts then asked everyone to turn on their cellphone lights. The light dimmed and the song 鈥淚 Am Not In Love With Your Hair鈥� came on. Everyone sat quietly listening to the song, many with tears in their eyes.
Two years from her first surgery, she was back at work and ended the presentation with, 鈥測ou don鈥檛 know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.鈥�
Lunch was served and prizes given out. Laureen Kent won the envelope prizes and Kylie Delainey won the 50/50 taking home $470.
In 17 years, St. James has raised $37,458 and can add $4,100 raised from this year鈥檚 event to the total.
The support from the community and district is greatly appreciated.
听
