Janine Mayall

Today’s #MondayMotivator inspires strength, courage, gratitude and thanksgiving.

Last Fall, Janine Mayall’s life was flipped up-side-down after a Radiologist at Guelph General Hospital spotted an abnormality on her left kidney.

Janine described her cancer as being “discovered by fluke.” That’s because the purpose of the first image that captured the abnormality was to monitor a pre-existing and completely unrelated health concern.

“I was sent for an X-ray on my skull because my migraines had changed characteristically. The X-ray was normal, and when I said I wanted a different test, my GP ordered the bone scan.”

Over the past year, Janine has endured aggressive chemotherapy treatment which she received at Guelph General and a complicated surgery to remove her bladder which was performed at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hamilton.

Determined to put the experience behind her and continue on with life and all the things she enjoys, Janine registered for the Metalumen 5k as part of the Thanksgiving Day Races in support of Guelph General Hospital.

Janine is a runner and has run the Thanksgiving Day Races in the past, but admits she has never fundraised before. This year is different. She has set a fundraising goal of $1,000, and she has more than doubled that!

“I received such stellar support at Guelph General Hospital, from the cleaners to the doctors, and everyone in between. I want to give back to them, so they can help all that come after me” Janine stated as her primary motivation.

While preparing for a final protocol of radiology treatments to ensure the cancer was fully cleared, Janine’s journey took yet another turn. Another nuclear imaging bone scan identified some spots on her bones. Radiation was cancelled, and she is now receiving additional chemotherapy treatments.

But this isn’t stopping Janine. She is determined to participate and to show others “that it [cancer] is ok, that there is still life with and after cancer.”