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You can help Cristina's Fund help sick northerners

Like many northerners, Christine MacPhail has had to leave Sudbury to receive necessary medical treatment.
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Like many northerners, Christine MacPhail has had to leave Sudbury to receive necessary medical treatment. Photo by Jonathan Migneault.
Like many northerners, Christine MacPhail has had to leave Sudbury to receive necessary medical treatment.

In May 2015, she was diagnosed with a rare form of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a cancer that attacks the cells of the lymphatic system – part of the body's immune system – and if left untreated can spread to organs like the spleen and liver.

“I was sick for a very long time,” MacPhail said.

Because her cancer was so rare, it took four months of hospital tests just to get a diagnosis.

After her diagnosis, MacPhail went through several rounds of intense chemotherapy at the Northeast Cancer Centre, but her oncologist recommended she get a stem cell transplant in hopes of forcing the disease into remission.

For that procedure, she had to travel to Ottawa, where she took strong medications that pulled stem cells from her bone marrow into her blood stream.

After weeks on the drugs, she was put on an intravenous system that separated the stem cells from her blood, and recirculated them into her body.

She went into remission Dec. 24, 2015, but has continued to deal with the side effects from the stem cell drugs, which weakened the bones in her lower spine, and caused a fracture.

During her time in Ottawa, MacPhail said the Northern Cancer Foundation's Cristina Care Fund was a financial lifeline — and the answer to her prayers.

The fund helped her cover her hotel, food and travel fees while she was in treatment.

“There are all kinds of different costs you have when you go through something like this,” she said. “It gets to be difficult.”

Fran Roque helped start the Cristina Care Fund after her daughter, Cristina, died of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in March 2012 at the age of 29.

Like MacPhail, Cristina had to travel to Ottawa for a stem cell transplant.

“It was very expensive,” said Roque. “There's nothing for adults.”

Since its foundation, the fund has hosted an annual event called Cristina's Coffee House fundraiser to help northerners who need to travel south, or to other parts of the country, for medical treatment.

To date the fund has raised more than $59,000 and helped more than 30 patients.

This year's event will take place at the Caruso Club on Feb. 28 starting at 6 p.m.

It will feature live musical performances from Don Kunto and members of the Sudbury band Hugh Jazz, and will also showcase dancers from Happiness is Dancing.

Tickets for the event are $25, and all proceeds go to support the Cristina Care Fund.

Tickets can be purchased from the Northern Cancer Foundation, the Caruso Club, or by calling Fran Roque at 705-524-3316.

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Jonathan Migneault

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