N. Van cancer SUIVIV
living a full sift of life

Anna Marie D’Angelo

News Reporter
dangelo@nsnews.com

TODD Wong is a bet-
ter person for having

cancer,

“This life is basically a pift
because I almost lost it,” said
the 39-year-old = North
Vancouver resident.

Wong lcarned to be 2 bet-
ter person through the chal-
lenge and adversity of surviv-
ing cancer. His illness rein-
forced the importance of
community work and helping
others.

Ten years ago, Wong was
in Lions Gate Hospital
(LGH) where doctors gave
him a 60% chance to survive
advanced cancer.

Wong, was diagnosed with
a Germ Cell tumour. The rare
cancer (two cases in B.C, a
year) is related to testicular
caricer.

Wong, who went to high
school at Carson Graham sec-
ondary, had just graduated
from Capilano College.

He had been experiencing
flu-like symptoms and low
energy for a while. His cancer
was missed by doctors until
the tumour was the size of a
large grapefruit in his chest.

“Cancer gives off different
types of symptoms. For a
while we thought it was a
recurrent viral infection,” said

Wong.

Wong had an X-ray.
was sent to LGH immediate-
ty. He had chemotherapy the
same night.

“They had to wait a week
to do othe biopsy because
there was so much pressure in
my chest,” said Wong.

He had internal bruising
and veins in his neck and arms
were bulging because of the
pressure.

“They said without treat-
ment, | would hi lasted
about two weeks,” said Wong.

Wong received aggressive,
immediate = chemotherapy
which was part of a new pro-
tocol to treat his canc

Wong's cancer was zapped
into remission. He was of
cially cancer-free five years
later.

Wong credits the efforts of
Terry Fox for contributing to
his survival. Fox’s attempt to
run across Canada has since
fed to annual fundraising runs
and more than $200 million
raised for cancer research.

When Terry Fox started
his run in 1980, Wong's type
of cancer had a 50% survival
rate. In 1989, doctors told
Wong they were “shooting”
for a 100% survival rate.

Wong is one of “Terry's
Team,” a group of cancer sur-
vivors that are recognized by
the Terry Fox Foundation.

On Sept. 19, Wong spoke
to participants before the start

of the ry Fox Run at
Ambleside Park. He then
went to the Vancouver and
Burnaby Terry Fox Rugs and
spoke to participants there.

“ET feel Yam a direer bene-
ficiary of Terry's Run and |
know there are other people
our there whose lives are
saved by the developments in
cancer research,” said Wong.

Since surviving cancer
Wong says he:

founded the Health and
Healing support group for
SFU students in 1990,

@ volunteered with the
HOPE House Cancer Health
Centre in 1992;

@ became part of Terry’s
Team (Terry Fox ) in 1993.
He has spoken at clementary
schools and at ry Fox
Runs inéluding a run held in
Beijing, China. He has also
received the Terry Fox Gold
Medai award from SFU for
courage in adversity and dedi-
cation to society;

B chaperoned for = the
Canadian Cancer Society teen
program and helped create
Terry Fox Day at SFU 1994;
@ became a church leader at
Celebration of Life Centre in
1997;

ereated the annual Robbie
Burns Chinese Dinner as a
multicultural event celebrat-
ing Chinese Canadian and
Scottish Canadian history and

See Inspired next page

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman
GIVING hope to others: cancer survivor Todd Wong speaks to fellow participants :
in the Terry Fox run Sept. 19. As a member of “Terry's Team,” Wong was speak-.
ing on behalf of the Terry Fox Foundation prior to the run through Ambiesice. :

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