Andria's Rally Against Cancer
Donation protected
For this single mom battling cancer, it’s her kids who matter most
“Cancer is like a bulldozer that goes right through your house in winter,” says 41-year-old Andria Barry. “You wake up in the morning and there is a laneway through your house and you have to learn how to live with it.”
In early October, doctors dropped a bombshell – they diagnosed Andria with stage 1 colorectal cancer. A colonoscopy had revealed the presence of seven tumors.
“They said if I hadn’t caught it now I would be dead within two years – that’s why I encourage everyone to get their screening done when they’re supposed to,” Andria says.
This single mother of two enjoys helping people. It’s what gives her life meaning. For 15 years, she has worked as an employment consultant and helps people with disabilities find work. Currently, she works with Performance Plus Rehabilitative Care (PPRC).
Consider it bitter irony – a woman who helped others leave the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) is now turning to that program for help. The application process may take months and there is no guarantee she will be accepted. As a consultant, Andria doesn’t have any benefits to cover her time away from work while undergoing treatment.
Two weeks after her diagnosis, Andria was in surgery to have the lower part of her colon removed. She now lives with a colostomy bag and faces up to eight months of chemo and/or radiation treatment. Even if the cancer is forced into remission, she will live the rest of her life with a colostomy bag and other physical challenges.
So whatever the next eight months brings, Andria must pay the costs and cover any additional expenses.
She can’t drive, clean her house or even cook. Andria has a six-year-old daughter with autism and a 10-year-old son.
"It really tests relationships in a positive way,” she says. “In the weirdest way, that’s what cancer does, it brings people together.”
Andria had already experienced the dark side of cancer first hand. Her mother is a breast cancer survivor following a double mastectomy. She lost her brother to lymphoma melanoma after a six-year battle.
“It’s pretty tough when three people in the same family get cancer,” she says. “I wanted to run away and hide in a cave to avoid putting my kids through that.”
That’s what matters most to her right now – her kids.
“When you lose your health, you lose your identity,” she says. “You walk around like a zombie, lost in a nightmare. But my kids keep me motivated. I don’t want them to grow up without a mother. I don’t want them to see me die.”
Dealing with the loss of income, waiting to hear what her treatment will be, having to rely on other people to take care of her and her children, the fear and uncertainty – all this creates a lot of tension and stress for Andria and her family.
The PPRC team has rallied to help Andria and has encouraged her to reach out to the community for additional financial assistance.
With your generous donation, we can help Andria cover her extra medical expenses and assist her with daily living. Reducing her stressors and providing some stability will help both Andria and her family.
“It would mean I am somewhat coming out of the woods and surviving,” she says. “I wouldn’t feel so homeless and unemployed and not able to take care of my kids.”
In the meantime, she keeps focused on the future – looking forward to when her family can take their next camping trip, when she can resume her part-time face painting business at local events like the Tulip Festival, and when she can again pursue her passions for horseback riding and flying.
“One thing I am going to do is volunteer my time at the hospital with free face painting for all the kids there fighting cancer,” she says. “When I was in the hospital, all I could think about was those kids.”
Join us in helping Andria and her family, she would be forever thankful; please give generously.
“Cancer is like a bulldozer that goes right through your house in winter,” says 41-year-old Andria Barry. “You wake up in the morning and there is a laneway through your house and you have to learn how to live with it.”
In early October, doctors dropped a bombshell – they diagnosed Andria with stage 1 colorectal cancer. A colonoscopy had revealed the presence of seven tumors.
“They said if I hadn’t caught it now I would be dead within two years – that’s why I encourage everyone to get their screening done when they’re supposed to,” Andria says.
This single mother of two enjoys helping people. It’s what gives her life meaning. For 15 years, she has worked as an employment consultant and helps people with disabilities find work. Currently, she works with Performance Plus Rehabilitative Care (PPRC).
Consider it bitter irony – a woman who helped others leave the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) is now turning to that program for help. The application process may take months and there is no guarantee she will be accepted. As a consultant, Andria doesn’t have any benefits to cover her time away from work while undergoing treatment.
Two weeks after her diagnosis, Andria was in surgery to have the lower part of her colon removed. She now lives with a colostomy bag and faces up to eight months of chemo and/or radiation treatment. Even if the cancer is forced into remission, she will live the rest of her life with a colostomy bag and other physical challenges.
So whatever the next eight months brings, Andria must pay the costs and cover any additional expenses.
She can’t drive, clean her house or even cook. Andria has a six-year-old daughter with autism and a 10-year-old son.
"It really tests relationships in a positive way,” she says. “In the weirdest way, that’s what cancer does, it brings people together.”
Andria had already experienced the dark side of cancer first hand. Her mother is a breast cancer survivor following a double mastectomy. She lost her brother to lymphoma melanoma after a six-year battle.
“It’s pretty tough when three people in the same family get cancer,” she says. “I wanted to run away and hide in a cave to avoid putting my kids through that.”
That’s what matters most to her right now – her kids.
“When you lose your health, you lose your identity,” she says. “You walk around like a zombie, lost in a nightmare. But my kids keep me motivated. I don’t want them to grow up without a mother. I don’t want them to see me die.”
Dealing with the loss of income, waiting to hear what her treatment will be, having to rely on other people to take care of her and her children, the fear and uncertainty – all this creates a lot of tension and stress for Andria and her family.
The PPRC team has rallied to help Andria and has encouraged her to reach out to the community for additional financial assistance.
With your generous donation, we can help Andria cover her extra medical expenses and assist her with daily living. Reducing her stressors and providing some stability will help both Andria and her family.
“It would mean I am somewhat coming out of the woods and surviving,” she says. “I wouldn’t feel so homeless and unemployed and not able to take care of my kids.”
In the meantime, she keeps focused on the future – looking forward to when her family can take their next camping trip, when she can resume her part-time face painting business at local events like the Tulip Festival, and when she can again pursue her passions for horseback riding and flying.
“One thing I am going to do is volunteer my time at the hospital with free face painting for all the kids there fighting cancer,” she says. “When I was in the hospital, all I could think about was those kids.”
Join us in helping Andria and her family, she would be forever thankful; please give generously.
Organizer
Linda Simpson
Organizer
Ottawa, ON
