Team Tamara YYC shows incredible support for journalist battling colon cancer
Posted Sep 9, 2014 3:59 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A fundraiser for a Calgary reporter fighting terminal cancer is sold out.
Tamara Gignac says she felt in the prime of her life at age 40; the former Calgary Herald journalist & mom of two was training for half marathons.
That is — until she was diagnosed with stage 4, inoperable, colon cancer.
“A one year life expectancy. So needless to say I kind of saw my life divided into before, and after. When you’re 40 years old, and the mother of two small children, you certainly don’t expect a horrible cancer diagnosis like that,” she said.
Tamara says she chose not to wallow, but to be a survivor.
Her friends decided to do what they could to help out by starting Team Tamara YYC.
Gignac has been amazed at what that initiative blossomed into, and the support that’s been shown for her and her husband.
“We don’t have family here in town, like many Calgarians, you know, we’re from elsewhere,” she said. “But what we do have — I live in Inglewood and I have a tremendous community of fellow families that have kept our fridge stocked, provided childcare, that have gone to the grocery store. When you have a very advanced cancer and things like walking up the stairs are difficult, you really do need that support system,” she said.
‘Meet the Press’ happens next Tuesday, but anyone can donate online by checking out Team Tamara YYC on the web, Twitter, or Facebook.
