Resilience in the Face of Recurrence: Judy Ross’ Fight Against Breast Cancer
Judy Ross, a 71-year-old resident of Nova Scotia, was first diagnosed with stage 3, grade 3 breast cancer in 2001 at the age of 40. Throughout her life, Judy maintained a very active lifestyle. From running six miles, three times a week, to eating a health diet, she never thought that she would receive the diagnosis that she did.
Access to care in Nova Scotia remains a significant challenge, particularly because in her community nearly half the population doesn’t have a family doctor. These problems were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Judy missed two years of her regular mammograms during this time and when she finally went in for a check-up, she discovered that she had breast cancer again – the same stage and grade as before.
The diagnosis was devastating, and the subsequent wait for treatment, which lasted six months, was mentally exhausting. The financial burden of her treatment posed another challenge. A shot that cost $1,500 was just one of the many expenses she faced.
Despite these hurdles, Judy found strength in her support network of friends who had been through similar experiences. They provided a safe space for her to express her feelings and offered much-needed support and companionship.
Judy turned her pain into purpose by connecting with other patients. She became involved with the Cancer Society, attended numerous oncology meetings, and formed many friendships through a national program for people with similar diagnoses. Her experiences sparked a desire to help others navigate their own cancer journey.
Judy’s message to others going through a similar journey is one of hope and resilience. She encourages them to learn to love themselves, share their feelings, and use journaling as a means of self-reflection and processing emotions. She urges health-system decision-makers to reduce wait times and provide immediate help and support to those diagnosed with cancer, including improving access to primary care.
There are far too many similar stories as people in Canada are waiting to be a priority. Cancer Action Now is working to bring forward challenges experiences by people in Canada living with cancer in accessing timely, high-quality cancer care, and calling on policy makers to make cancer care a priority.
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