WINDSOR, ONT. -- A year after being diagnosed with breast cancer, 59-year-old Lucy Fanson has finished treatment and is now doing her part to “lock out cancer.”
Fanson completed her treatments in September and has joined the Lock Out Cancer campaign running over the month of May to help raise money for the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation.
“It’s important that we continue to do this, cancer doesn’t stop,” she said.
Ordinarily, the campaign will sell locks to be placed along the fence of the Cancer Centre’s healing garden at a ceremony. With social distancing measures in place, this year is going to look different.
“We have a sea of people here at the Cancer Centre and people locking their locks it is so emotional and it is so beautiful and empowering, having said that, that’s not going to happen,” said Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation director Houida Kassem.
This year, the foundation will be compiling videos and photos sent in from donors.
“Lock your lock along your fence in the back yard take a photo send it to us,” Kassem said.
Last year’s campaign raised $135,000, with this year being so different, the foundation is not locking in a goal but is hopeful the community will continue to support their programs.
Before Fanson’s diagnosis, she was familiar with the hospital visits, tests and treatments that follow. She had been in the midst of taking care of her 32-year-old son who was battling leukemia when she received the news about her own health.
“I felt like if my son can do this, I can do this,” she said of tacking her cancer diagnosis.
Fanson, now on the “other side” of the disease, believes giving back is important in order to make a difference.
“If you don’t want to get involved then these things won’t get cured and gone from our lives,” she said.
For more information, or to purchase a lock visit the Lock Out Cancer website.
