Christine Johnson is running on empty. The 42-year-old Kemptville woman was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer in March. She has been off work since May. Johnson is a single mom with three boys.
“To say the least, I was pretty shocked,” she noted. “My poor children…I can’t even imagine what it’s like to be in their shoes. They’re amazing. They’ve been so supportive. When I have to walk up the stairs, one of them is behind me to make sure I don’t fall.”
She has undergone chemotherapy and radiation. Johnson says the side effects are quite substantial. She noted the treatment plan was severe and she got the max dose of radiation to try to shrink the tumour in her cervix. Johnson says her odds of survival are 50/50 and she’s still waiting on a prognosis from her doctors.
She was on Employment Insurance, but it just ran out. The Kemptville Cancer Support Group set up a GoFundMe page for Johnson. Over $2,600 was raised in five days.
“It just kind of surprises me, not even for myself, but others in this situation, that there isn’t more help for people in this position financially,” says Johnson.
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