History and Background
Katy McDonald is just one person who lost her life in a battle with cancer, but she was a catalyst for our group and the motivation behind our annual event. Since her passing in February 2004 many more people have lost their battle. We hope their families and friends can join this group and it will provide some support and a positive focus for their feelings. 
In the fall of 2002, Katy had a small lump removed from under the skin on her abdomen for cosmetic reasons. All removed lumps are biopsied and this one turned out to be a malignant tumour. In medical terms, Katy had a high grade undifferentiated sarcoma... a cancer that was very rare. After another surgery, she began a course of chemotherapy. April 2003 was her last chemo treatment and the test results looked good.
Over the summer Katy began suffering from migraine-like headaches and in late September of 2003, Katy was told that her cancer had returned in the form of a brain tumour. She was scheduled for a biopsy on the first Tuesday of October. The Monday morning before the scheduled biopsy, she woke up with slurred speech, slack facial muscles and a weakened right side. It was like she had had a stroke.
Katy had emergency brain surgery where they removed a large tumour and unfortunately found another that they couldn't remove. Once the tumour was removed the stroke symptoms vanished. The plan was to have radiation coupled with aggressive chemo and a stem cell transplant.
Not too long into the planned treatment, Katy suffered a massive infection and fell into a coma. Three weeks later Katy came out of the coma and managed to stay with us another few months. Katy lost her battle with cancer in early February of 2004.
Katy's friends had put on a few cancer benefits that fall and winter. We even managed to get Katy to one of them held at the 360 on Queen Street West. Her Uncle Ray and Aunt April thought we could organize a cancer benefit as well and started planning the event in late 2003. Katy was an active participant in the organizing. When Katy left us on February 3, we didn't know whether to continue or not, but with the warm support of friends and family we held our first Cupids Against Cancer benefit event on Feb 13, 2004.
As a family we were touched by many wonderful organizations during Katy's illness. With each event we have been able to give back to some of those charities. Each year the beneficiaries have changed with one group remaining a constant... the On The Tip Of The Toes Foundation.
Through Toronto Sick Children's Hospital, Katy was asked to participate in a wilderness adventure organized by Tip Of Toes. Ten teenagers living with cancer (five from Ontario and five from Quebec) skidooed across James Bay from Moose Factory Ontario to Waskaganesh, Quebec and back. The teens were accompanied by a medical team and by wilderness guides from both Tip of Toes and the Cree Indian Nation. That adventure into Canada's wilderness empowered those teenagers by giving them a challenge and the experience of a lifetime. You can learn more about the trip that Katy took by clicking on this link -
http://www.tip-of-toes.com/pdf/6_moosefactoryangl.pdf
On page 9 of the James Bay Expedition Report you can read Katy's testimony. Here is an excerpt of what she had to say, "I feel as if I can conquer anything, I was able to spend 4 days in minus 30-40 weather and travel nearly 400km on skidoo in the middle of nowhere! Who knows what else I could do."
On page 11, Diana Merino writes of her experience. Last year at our Cupid's Gala we were pleased to welcome Diana and be able to listen to her experience on James Bay first hand. It brought home the benefits of adventure therapy as delivered by The Tip Of The Toes Foundation.
Please join us February 16 2008 as we all join hearts to be Cupids Against Cancer.