Cancer story evolves

Struggles result in years of volunteering

Posted By COURTNEY WHALEN, THE PACKET AND TIMES

Posted 2 months ago

When John Wallinger had his first brush with cancer in 1965, his treatment included a lead room and a radioactive beverage designed to kill malignant cells left over from his thyroidectomy.

After his radioactive dose, he had to be careful who he was around because he was ra d i o a c t i v e, Wa l l i n g e r remembers.

But looking back on his family's struggle against cancer since then, this is how Wallinger sums up that experience.

"Mine was fairly simple, in terms of that," he said Thursday.

Cancer would again strike his family in 1980 when wife Mary had to have a double mastectomy. It was the first of five battles Mary would fight against cancer. Her final battle ended last year when she died from the terminal cancer she was first diagnosed with in 2004.

"She was fighting it the whole time."

In addition to her personal fight, Mary also joined the larger fight against cancer by volunteering with the Muskoka-North Simcoe branch of the Canadian Cancer Society after she and John moved to the area in 1995.

"She certainly made an impact in that field," Wallinger said.

As part of her volunteering duties, Mary made weekly phone calls to new clients in the Orillia area and follow-up calls with them throughout their cancer journey as a peer-support volunteer.

Over the years, she made more than 4,000 calls, lending an ear, providing information and making an impact that has stayed with some of those she spoke with, John Wallinger said.

Although Wallinger said probably 95% of the people Mary spoke to on the phone would be strangers to her, he has heard the proof of how much the phone calls meant to those who received them.

At the Orillia Relay for Life, one of the local cancer society's largest annual events, Wallinger was approached by a woman simply wanting to say thank you because Mary had been a comfort to her.

In 2004, Mary was a candidate for Woman of the Year for her work and in 2007 received the Citation of Merit from the Canadian Cancer Society, one of the highest national honours awarded by the organization.

At the time, Mary was too sick to travel to Toronto to accept her award -- so the award and the Canadian Cancer Society representatives came to her.

Mary lost her battle against cancer, but Wallinger remains dedicated to his volunteer work with the cancer society as well.

"I love what I'm doing," said the fundraising committee chair. "I have no intention of giving that up."

That kind of commitment is what Natalie Beaudet, volunteer engagement co-ordinator with the Muskoka/North Simcoe Canadian Cancer Society likes to hear.

"We couldn't do it without them," she said of volunteers like the Wallingers. "We are a strictly volunteer organization."

Wallinger is continuing the work both he and Mary have done since getting involved with the cancer society.

"Mary was very instrumental in doing a lot with the society right from the get-go," Beaudet said.

Over the decades, cancer treatment has come a long way from Wallinger's lead room and radioactive milkshake experience. Awareness of the disease and the importance of early detection has also seen a large increase.

"Now, today, people are more proactive in getting their screening," she said. "The diagnosis of cancer is on the increase, but that's (because) more people are getting the screenings."

The local cancer society, which is located at 190 Memorial Ave., offers a wide range of services and supports for anyone dealing with cancer, whether as a patient, family member or caregiver, Beaudet said. And, unlike other organizations geared specifically to one type of cancer, the Canadian Cancer Society deals with all 200 types of cancer.

For more information on the Canadian Cancer Society, its services, programs and resource material, go to www.cancer.caor www.fightback.ca.

cwhalen@orilliapacket.com