This year's Relay for Life honourary chairperson tells a story as one of the lucky ones.
Tessa Young, who, just days before Christmas was diagnosed with Stage 1 papillary thyroid cancer, one of four types of thyroid cancer, takes the honours this year to chair the Relay for Life, which is June 11 in Estevan. Young, 27, has now undergone treatment and she expects to be cancer-free in the next couple of months.
As the honourary chairperson, it's her job to get her story out there and continue to raise awareness for cancer. Some cancers, like thyroid cancer, she said, still do need an advocate so people are aware of what they are.
For five years, Young noticed symptoms as benign as fatigue, which turned out to be related to her cancer.
She was tested then but results came back inconclusive, and she never went back for more tests until this past December. Even after that time she was lucky for the cancer to be found early and slow moving.
"I think early detection is really important," she said. "In my case, I got checked five years ago. There was a lump there. I just didn't realize it was cancer. Good thing mine was slow moving because five years later, I could have it removed and everything taken out. It's good to go early ... I was just happy I didn't have it, I thought, so I just never went back."
She said awareness isn't all about making people aware that cancer can affect anyone, but raising awareness of the symptoms of cancer. Sometimes people will go a long time dealing with a symptom and just not realize what their body is trying to tell them.
"There are lots of people I've heard of who said, 'My arm's hurt for years.' When they went to get checked, they were full of cancer, so listen to your body. If you feel sick, go get it checked out."
She didn't know there was such a thing as cancer in the thyroid, so making people aware of lesser-known cancers she said is important.
"It can be anywhere in your body, and people don't always know that. If your shoulder is sore, get it checked out and make sure that it's not cancer. It could be there. It could be in your wrist or anywhere."
She only realizes now that her fatigue had meant a problem with her thyroid, a gland in the neck. When doctors first looked at her five years previous, they determined she had an inflamed lymph node because they found no cancer in the cells they took. Looking back, she said she should have been more persistent, going back for constant checkups to continuously monitor the issue.
Getting a second opinion is something she could have done but didn't.
Upon diagnosis, she was reassured immediately about the treatments and had her thyroid removed at the beginning of February. She has since had a radioactive iodine treatment that will continue to work its way through her system for another couple of months. After that, she should be done her treatment.
She wants her story of further testing to be a lesson to others.
"I'm hoping other people will learn from me not going. If something's up, get it checked out."
Everyday more people are being diagnosed with cancer, so she said Relay for Life is a great way people can support cancer research.
Once she was diagnosed, she found lots of resources available to her, from doctors giving her websites to visit to cookbooks, because during her treatments she needed a low-iodine diet. She noted things like the recipe books were free through funding raised for the Cancer Society.
Once her treatment is complete, she will have annual checkups to make sure she is still cancer-free for the first several years, then go once every four years.
The Survivor's Tea, which was postponed after the late winter storm that blasted the area, has been rescheduled for May 26 at the Days Inn. Young will be speaking at the event. The relay is June 11.
