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Cancer-free for 10 years

Dorothy Westerman
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 20/05) - For France Benoit of Yellowknife, it is no cliche to say enjoy every single moment of your life.

"It sounds very stereotypical, but it does take on a very different meaning," said Benoit, who is celebrating her 10th year of being cancer-free.




France Benoit is a 10-year cancer survivor. "I didn't hesitate when there was a problem." - Dorothy Westerman/NNSL photo


Benoit is among the three in four Canadians who will survive cancer during his or her lifetime.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, 90 new cases of cancer are expected in the NWT this year and 50 will die from the disease.

About 18 cancer survivors met at Quiznos restaurant Sunday for a supportive meet and greet gathering.

Gisele Forget, Relay for Life co-ordinator for the Canadian Cancer Society, said it was important to get all the survivors together to meet one another. "This is a good icebreaker to get people interacting."

The Relay for Life will take place June 3.

Arlene Yaceyko, community services developer with the Canadian Cancer Society, said the number of new cancer cases in the NWT appears to be stable.

"The most frequent cancer diagnosis for men in the NWT is colorectal cancer.

"The most frequent for women is breast cancer," Yaceyko said.

Mortality rate continues to be the highest for those with lung cancer, however.

Prevention remains a top priority for the Cancer Society.

Yaceyko said the health care system in the North is very good, but early detection may be a problem for the small communities.

"People may not get to be diagnosed in a timely fashion," she said.

What is needed within the system is a cancer control strategy at both the national and territorial level.

"It would look at how we can treat the entire person through the whole spectrum of cancer," Yaceyko said.

Benoit said she believes she survived cancer because of early detection.

"I didn't hesitate when there was a problem. I identified it.

"Trust me, it's a lot scarier to be diagnosed with something than go to the doctor," Benoit said.

Linda Bockus, also of Yellowknife, is another positive statistic in the battle against cancer.

"I knew I wasn't going to be overcome with cancer," she said.

"I carried on," said Bockus, who had surgery in January and attributes her survival to preventative measures.

For Judy Sharp, a four-year survivor, the most difficult part of learning she had cancer was the burden of telling her family.

"You terrify your family. They hear the word cancer and they think they are going to lose you.

"You are looking for reassurance, but you have to reassure them that you will be okay," Sharp said.