Super Sam

Hi my name is Corinna St Cyr. 

Three years ago, on November 8th, 2011, our world fell apart.

That day, we felt like someone picked-up our life, smashed it on the floor and left us to put the pieces back together.

It all started in the middle of the night when our four year old daughter, Samantha, woke up crying with pains in her belly. Because she was in such pain, my husband, Paul and I took her to the Emergency Department at the Northside General Hospital, which is close to our house. The doctors and nurses ran tests and did blood work, but couldn’t find the source of her pain.

They decided to do an ultrasound and it revealed large growths on Samantha’s kidney.

We were rushed by ambulance to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, where our little girl had a CAT scan. The doctor said the words that no parent ever wants to hear, “Your daughter has cancer.”

Samantha was diagnosed with Wilms Tumors. A rare form of cancer that affects her kidneys.

Samantha underwent an extensive chemotherapy and radiation treatment program. She also had her right kidney removed and half of her left kidney.

To say the least, we had some very scary times and some sad times. It’s hard watching your five year old daughter’s hair fall out, it was hard watching her get poked and picked with needles and it was hard not knowing if she’s going to be okay.

Thanks to donors to the Regional Hospital Foundation, Samantha was able to receive a lot of her cancer treatment at home. If we had to be away in Halifax for her treatment it would have been a very difficult year for everyone. But most, for Sam.

Today, Samantha is happy and healthy. She is in full remission!  We call her Super Sam because she was so brave through all of her treatments.

- Corinna St. Cyr