(With references to Brandon Sun鈥檚 July 29 article, 鈥淏rain cancer battle 'overwhelming鈥欌��)
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听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Wawota native Janelle Lamontagne 鈥� now of Brandon, MB 鈥� daughter of Karlene and Eugene Krupa 鈥� is a 29-year-old speech-language pathologist. Her normal life was challenged when it was discovered she has been living with an asymptomatic brain tumour which was approximately the size of a golf ball.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The discovery of the tumour was found when she was being treated for a rare bleeding disorder 鈥� acquired von Willebrand鈥檚 disease, which Lamontagne told the Brandon Sun in their article, 鈥淏rain cancer battle 'overwhelming,鈥欌�� which was published on July 31. While undergoing treatment for this disease, she reacted unfavourably and was later admitted to the emergency room suffering from a severe migraine. With concerns that there was possibly a brain bleed due to the bleeding disorder, a CT scan was ordered and a mass the size of a golf ball was found.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Further tests were ordered including an MRI 鈥� neurologists were determined to deduce if the mass was in fact a tumour or possibly a cyst. Neurologists concluded that it was a tumour and she was referred to a neurosurgeon in Winnipeg to remove the tumour.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 After undergoing an awake craniotomy 鈥� which lasted 9 hours 鈥� on June 29 to remove the tumour, it was tested and confirmed to be cancerous 鈥� it is in fact a grade three anaplastic astrocytoma. Although the majority of the tumour was removed during the surgery, it is impossible to remove it entirely as it has entwined with healthy tissue, although she told the Brandon Sun that 鈥渢he procedure removed 99 percent of [it].鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The journey ahead will be intense as she was scheduled for 7-days-a-week of chemotherapy, radiation 5-days-a-week for six weeks. She will continue a full-year of chemotherapy 5-days-a-week for the next year in Brandon following this initial treatment.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Prior to her treatment Lamontagne told the Brandon Sun that, 鈥淚t鈥檚 been very overwhelming. The hardest part, I think, is that I feel completely normal. I have no symptoms, so it鈥檚 hard to understand why I went through a craniotomy and I鈥檓 going to start chemo and radiation when I feel perfectly fine.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Although a trying time Lamontagne continues to look forward, adding in her interview with the Brandon Sun, 鈥淚 work with the adult population in acute care. I鈥檝e actually worked with a lot of patients with brain tumours鈥� I hope this gives me a chance to better relate to my patients when I can finally return to my job.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 With all that life has thrown at her Lamontagne remains in good spirits; but, the costs surrounding the treatments has led to family and friends setting up a Benefit Social in her name to be held on Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. at the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre in Brandon, MB.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Tickets to the social ($20) are available from Marley Drumm (Detayls Hair Salon 鈥� Wednesdays to Saturdays), Tanya Brisbois (577-7787), or Susan Wilson (577-7664). Hotel rooms for those attending the social have been reserved under a group rate for those attending the social at The Comfort Inn, Best Western Plus, or Lake View Hotels and Resorts (must call to book the hotel to book the room).
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Donations of auction items for both the social and an online auction are being accepted by Marley Drumm 鈥� contact her through Facebook or email: [email protected].
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Monetary donations are also being accepted for the Janelle Lamontagne trust at the Conexus Credit Union.
