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. :

The North Shore Health Region is: committed to providing high quality healih services across: the North Shore.

We are taking our servicesinto your community through: © ; © West COMMUNTIY « Hearts: CENTRE

at $90-22nd Street,

West Vancouver. —

© Park Gare COMMUNITY Hearty Centex

at 3625 Banff Court, North Vancouver.

In case of a medics! emergency, our tearm of highly-skilled professionals provide 24-hour care at

® Lions Gare Hosritan 231 East 15th Street, North Vancouver.