Candy Foster recalls the Langley Memorial Hospital nurse who sat with her the first time she cried after surgery for colon cancer.
"She was so reassuring and her kindness is etched in my memory," Candy says.
After initially suspecting appendicitis, an ultrasound instead found cancer, and the months following were a whirlwind of fear and confusion, surgery and follow-up care.
"Dr. Steven Hansen, Dr. Lan Vu and the nurses I came to know over those nine days at Langley Memorial Hospital made a tremendous difference in my health and my outlook today," says Candy, who finished her colon cancer treatment Dec. 12, 2014.
Then, just as her oncologist was about to release her from care, they discovered breast cancer. "In the end, it was a tougher haul than my first experience, but I am proud to say my last treatment for breast cancer was in June 2019," Candy says.
Candy's journey taught her much about resilience, faith and the power of family and friends, but most of all, she says, it "opened my eyes to the dedication and compassion of the doctors and nurses at Langley Memorial Hospital."
This holiday season, a time of family, community and giving, Candy joins Langley Community Health & Hospital Foundation in raising funds for vital equipment medical teams need to diagnose and treat patients living with a cancer diagnosis. From scopes to imaging equipment to fragile surgical tools, medical equipment wears down after continual use, and teams rely on up-to-date equipment to deliver the best care.
"After my experience, I want to do everything I can to help," reflects Candy, who was born and raised in Langley, where she and her husband raised their three children. "This community and this hospital are close to my heart."
Double your impact
Beyond making a huge difference to Langley's medical staff and patients – helping patients receive the best care possible when they need it most – your gift will make double the impact, with the Drive for the Cure Foundation matching all donations made through Dec. 31, up to a total of $50,000.
Drive for the Cure began 26 years ago when Doug Hawley, Rob Jeeves and Kirk Fisher hosted a golf tournament at Langley's Redwoods Golf Course in support of local cancer care. Since then, the popular annual event has raised millions for cancer prevention and treatment across the Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver.
All three founders have since lost family members to cancer and ultimately, the foundation's efforts are driven by a shared concern for those facing cancer diagnoses, Doug says.
“I feel one of the reasons Drive for the Cure Foundation has been so successful over the last 26 years is the partnerships that have been formed. It has grown into one large family, where everyone has been touched by cancer in some way.”
This year, Drive for the Cure's commitment means that every dollar, doubled, will help Langley Memorial Hospital provide quicker access to diagnostic and intervention treatment.
"A decade later, when I look back at the whirlwind journey of my health and recovery, I’m so grateful that I was able to receive care here, close to home," Candy says. "I am so grateful that the nurses, doctors and all the caregivers at Langley Memorial were by my side every step of the way."
Donate securely today to help provide medical teams with the tools they need to support Langley patients in their cancer journey. Learn more at LCHHFoundation.com/cancer-care