The world was rocked for Sabrina Mainil last July when she got the news that she was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, and then again in October when that diagnosis was upgraded to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
The 24-year-old Weyburn woman began chemotherapy on Oct. 28 at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, and in January she had a stem cell transplant to help in her recovery from the blood cancer.
A major part of her strength and encouragement on her cancer journey has been the love and support of her family and friends, including a Facebook page for her supporters, called the 鈥淪ab Squad鈥�.
When she began having 鈥渨eird symptoms鈥� like rashes and bloating, her initial thoughts were she had developed an intolerance to gluten, so she cut that down in her diet. It helped for a little while, but the symptoms came back, and once she was able to be tested, she received the news on July 2 that she had chronic myeloid leukemia.
Sabrina was put on medication, taking a pill once a day, but by October she still wasn鈥檛 feeling all that healthy. She had some blood work done, and the numbers were concerning, so her doctors had her take a bone marrow biopsy, and the verdict came back that she had ALL.
Sabrina was admitted to the hospital right away, and she began a 50-day stay at the RUH to take chemotherapy. She was able to have a three-week break in December over the Christmas-New Year鈥檚 holidays, and on Jan. 7 she was readmitted so she could receive her stem cell transplant, from her sister Ambria.
鈥淚t was a shocker at first to get the news. The first couple of weeks it was pretty tough on whole family,鈥� said her mom, Deana, adding she reached the point where she realized, 鈥淚t鈥檚 God鈥檚 plan, it鈥檚 in God鈥檚 hands, and in the doctors鈥� hands, and if you don鈥檛 leave it that way, you鈥檇 kill yourself with worry. We just have complete faith, and still do, in her health care team.鈥�
As a stem cell transplant was deemed to be the best course of treatment for her leukemia, Sabrina鈥檚 siblings had their blood tested to see if there was a bone marrow match. Her brothers, Josh and Davin, both had a 50-per-cent match, while Ambria had a 100-per-cent match, making her the ideal donor of stem cells.
鈥淚t was a pretty good day to hear about my sister being a match,鈥� said Sabrina.
Ambria was really happy to learn that her stem cells were a perfect match. 鈥淚t was the best phone call I got in my life, because I knew my brothers were both half-matches, so I was really happy when they called me. Me and my dad were both tearing up, it was just the best news ever,鈥� she said.
She noted it was not an invasive procedure, as they took blood out of one arm, separated out the stem cells and returned the blood in her other arm. The only disruption for her was to stop breast-feeding her baby, Laurel, who was seven months old at that point.
鈥淚t was really special,鈥� said Ambria. 鈥淚 felt really blessed that I could donate my stem cells.鈥�
Sabrina was in hospital for 30 days after the transplant and was released on Feb. 8, but had to go back in for a week after she had a fever and a rash. As a follow up on her stem cell transplant, she has to be closely monitored for a 100-day period afterward for the possibility of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which includes visits to the hospital three times a week for four to five hours for ongoing treatment.
The visits include an assessment by a nurse, and consultation with her hematologist and a pharmacist followed by IV supplements according to her blood work results.
The GVHD disease can occur in recipients of stem cell transplants, as the host body might reject or react to the transplanted cells. As of April 7, Sabrina is 83 days into the process, but she noted the monitoring will still continue after the 100 days is finished.
A big part of her support comes from the 鈥淪ab Squad鈥� Facebook page, and it began from a conversation Sabrina had with Ambria as many family members and friends kept asking for updates about how Sabrina was doing, especially when she was in the hospital for chemotherapy.
During her hospital stay, Ambria or Sabrina posted one photo a day with a brief comment about how she was doing.
鈥淪o now there鈥檚 people I don鈥檛 even know following me. It鈥檚 kind of funny, because the nurses and people at the hospital found my page somehow and they are keeping tabs on me too, which is kind of cute,鈥� said Sabrina. 鈥淪o much support came from it, it鈥檚 really an awesome thing.鈥�
She added she feels very blessed to have the level of support she has, because many others who are battling cancer don鈥檛 have that.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just been amazing, the amount of people who just tell you that they鈥檙e thinking of you, and all the comments they make on the page. It definitely helps keep you positive when you鈥檙e surrounded by so much love all the time,鈥� said Sabrina.
Another major part of her support has been the presence of her mom or her sister almost every day she鈥檚 been in hospital, or even while she鈥檚 resting and recovering at her condo.
The separation from her family has been difficult, but they鈥檝e done things to let her know she鈥檚 close in their thoughts, such as a surprise for her 24th birthday in January. As her window faces the parking lot, several family members gathered there and face-timed with her while holding up signs and waving at her, wishing her a happy birthday.
Asked how COVID has impacted her, Sabrina said in some ways COVID restrictions have both made it hard for her and been a blessing to her.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 get COVID or it would kill me, basically, so that part of it鈥檚 not good,鈥� said Sabrina, adding the blessing is that COVID restrictions require everyone to sanitize their hands and wear masks everywhere, which is good for her.
The whole cancer journey has brought her really close to Ambria, as she lived with her for the past two years until Sabrina got her own condo in Saskatoon. As a teacher, Ambria was on maternity leave to have her daughter Laurel, and the timing was actually a good thing as she was able to be with Sabrina almost every day. She wouldn鈥檛 have been able to do that if she was still in the classroom.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really hard for my brothers and their wives not to be able to see her. I just feel so lucky I can be beside her and do whatever I can to be with her. She鈥檚 just the most positive inspiring person, she鈥檚 just awesome,鈥� said Ambria, adding while she鈥檚 older, she considers Sabrina to be more mature in many ways.
鈥淲hen she had to lose all her hair, I didn鈥檛 even think twice about it. I said I would shave my head with her, and we faced each other as two nurses shaved our heads at the same time,鈥� said Ambria.
Her dad, Dale, hasn鈥檛 been able to spend much time with her, which has been hard on him, but Deana noted they face-time every evening together. He has been able to help her out by setting up her condo along with Ambria, buying groceries for Sabrina and making sure there is a lunch or supper ready on a day when Sabrina has to be at the hospital for her outpatient treatments.
