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Ann Cannon Age: 49 of Calgary, AB
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My mother was diagnosed around 1982. She underwent a single radical mastectomy and underwent chemotherapy. She went into remission for a year and then relapsed and was found to have liver cancer. After further chemotherapy and radiation the cancer metastasized to her bones. Further radiation was unsuccessful and she passed away after a 5 year fight.

I really don’t have any highlights of my mom’s illness. I was around 15 years old when she was diagnosed and ill myself. I remember very vividly the times and days she went for chemo and radiation. I have no good memories from that time. Maybe those memories have been repressed or I need some more time to remember the highlights

I don’t recall my mom ever crying in front of us children. She showed immense courage and remained stoic the entire time. I can’t imagine the pain, fear and hopelessness she must have felt. She continued on with her life as best she could. She remained working, socializing and taking care of us. I feel immense guilt over that period. I felt I was selfish with my own worries and concerns at that time. My mom protected us children from her ‘cancer’ and also her friends. That must have been so hard on my dad because he could not talk to anyone about his own fears. She was in so much pain when she had bone cancer. I remember going on holidays to Fairmont B.C and her having to lay down in the back of the station wagon the whole way. After that she was forced to use a wheel chair. I am sure if she wasn’t so proud and stubborn she would have used the chair a lot sooner. Up until a few days prior to her death, my brothers and I had no idea of the severity of her illness and thought she was coming home. I remember visiting my mom at the Tom Baker cancer centre here in Calgary 2 days before she died. She was loaded with morphine and was incoherent. I was a mess! I was so frustrated because I wanted to say things that would cover 18 years of memories with her. I didn’t know if she could understand me and she was mumbling about wanting to come home. Crap, that was hard because we knew she was never coming home.

My last memories of her illness were coming home on night after visiting her and praying to God that he take her. She was suffering so much and I didn’t want her to suffer anymore.

Her favourite activities were gardening, reading, home decorating, looking at new homes, baking, cooking, camping, walks in the mountains, shopping, having social parties for friends and family and decorating the house at Christmas. I never really got a chance to know my mom as an adult and I’m sure she had more interests and passions.

Passed away in 1987