Survivor One woman's fight to overcome cancer

Overnight a lump grew to the size of a golf ball in ChrystaTsafkopoulos' neck.
She recalls waking up that July morning in 2003 and noticing ashadow inside her throat as she peered in the mirror. It wasdifficult to talk and it hurt to swallow.
Long before the lump appeared, there had been other signs thatthings weren't right.
Slated to graduate with a degree in political science from theUniversity of Guelph in 2001, Tsafkopoulos, then 23, wasn't feelingherself and whittled her workload down to one course a semester tocomplete her remaining five credits.
"I was just so tired and I just didn't have the drive that I hadbefore," she said. "I knew that there was something wrong with meand I knew that I wasn't myself."
Then, almost a year after the lump surfaced, Tsafkopoulos wasdiagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer. She was 26.
Thyroid cancer forms in the thyroid gland located at the base ofthe neck. The thyroid produces hormones which control metabolism,which in turn, affects heart rate, blood pressure and weight.
Doctors believe Tsafkopoulos had been suffering from symptoms ofHashimoto's thyroiditis -- a disease where the body's T-cellsattack the thyroid cells - a couple years prior to the lump. Thediagnosis helped explain her atypical lethargy while at university.
Cancer free for the past four years, this Friday (June 6) marksTsafkopoulos' third year participating in the Canadian CancerSociety's annual Relay for Life. The relay, which takes place incities across Canada, is a 12-hour overnight event that involvesteam members of 10 taking turns walking, strolling or runningaround a track to raise funds for cancer research.
However, Relay for Life is about much more than just raising fundsto fight cancer.
"We're celebrating cancer survivors, we're remembering those thathave lost the battle and we're fighting back by raising money forresearch to help those that are going through it or may go throughit," said Sharon Burns, the unit manager at Burlington's CanadianCancer Society branch.
At last year's Burlington event, more than 1,500 peopleparticipated and celebrated with some 100 local cancer survivors,while raising $387,000.
"I really love Relay for Life and I did it originally because Iliked the idea of raising all that money for cancer research, andBurlington is awesome. I think we raised almost $400,000 lastyear," said Tsafkopoulos. "Relay is really important because itreally focuses on the survivors."
Cancer survivors in the community, such as Tsafkopoulos, will bethe first to walk around the track -- dubbed the Survivors' VictoryLap -- while others cheer them on from the sidelines.
"They're our honoured guests, so they do the first lap at therelay," said Burns.
Later on, when it is dark enough, special luminaries are placedaround the track and lit to honour those lost and touched bycancer.
"It's emotional, but it is really fun," said Tsafkopoulos, who wasmarried last December.
OVERCOMING CANCER
A month after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer in April of 2004,Tsafkopoulos underwent a five-hour surgical procedure to remove thecancerous lump.
She maintains that the worst part of the ordeal was not thesurgery, but post-surgery. She had to take a two-week hiatus fromher synthetic thyroid hormone medication and endured "seriouswithdrawal symptoms" before taking a radioactive iodine treatment,which led to her being quarantined for a week at home.
"It was the worst experience I've had in my entire life,"Tsafkopoulos recalls of the thyroid medication. "I couldn't walkfrom the living room to my bedroom without having to sit down."
Although thyroid cancer is unrelated to smoking, Tsafkopoulos was asmoker when diagnosed. She promptly kicked the habit due to theprospect of contracting other diseases.
"I was so upset to actually have (cancer), I was like 'Why would Iinvite lung cancer and all these other hosts of cancers in,'" shesaid.
Always enjoying a good laugh -- one of her favourite televisionshows is The Rick Mercer Report -- she recalls humour being thebest medicine in dealing with, and subsequently beating, cancer.When telling others that she was diagnosed with cancer, she wouldscoff at the inevitable "cancer face" that would gaze back at her.
"If you can't laugh, it's no fun -- and obviously cancer is prettyserious," she said.
Reflecting on the entire experience, Tsafkopoulos says she is mostproud of finishing her education during that tumultuous time in herlife
"I'm pretty proud of myself for actually finishing university,because all my thyroid stuff all happened during that time."
After completing her degree at Guelph, she continued on in academiaat Sheridan's one-year corporate communications program.Tsafkopoulos is an assistant to Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr.
CO-CHAIR OF RELAY
In the past two years of the relay, Tsafkopoulos participated withclose friends and co-workers who have supported her throughout herstruggle with cancer. This year, however, she will be a volunteerco-chair of the relay, helping with the organization of thesurvivor component of the event.
She said the main reasons she participates in the relay are thatit's enjoyable and worthwhile in the fight against cancer.
"It's just a big, fun time and everyone is there for the samereason," she said. "It feels like you are actually able to dosomething to help."
Burlington's Relay for Life takes place at Bronte Creek ProvincialPark starting at 7 p.m. Friday and running to 7 a.m. Saturday.
This year, the event has already seen 160 volunteers and 80survivors register.
To join as a volunteer or to register, call Burlington's CanadianCancer Society at 905-332-0060 or visit www.cancer.ca/relay.