Cathy Tidman’s 50th birthday cancer fundraiser

Hi!  Lizzy, Pat and I are excited to celebrate Cathy’s 50th birthday!!  We feel blessed and grateful to be able to celebrate, and help out the Eastern Ontario cancer centre here in Kingston.  As many of you know it has been a crazy 3 years.  A cancer diagnosis is a hard one to take, But as we all know, Cathy is one tough lady!  Through many biopsies, zillions of scans and procedures, she has elevated and redefined my understanding of grace and strength. In the last three years, she has endured multiple chemo rounds, a stem cell transplant, as well as a CAR t transplant in Cleveland.  She has had multiple radiation treatments, and tolerated a successful regiment of immunotherapy.  She has, most recently, (with the help of a gracious donor!) undergone a bone marrow transplant at the Ottawa General Hospital.  Her strength and positive outlook are an inspiration to anyone lucky enough to be in her orbit.  It is one thing to think you are tough, it is another to prove that you are.  She is.  She has moved away from home multiple times for hospital stays and procedures here in Kingston, Toronto, Ottawa and Cleveland.  During these weeks and months away, her love of our kids, life, friends and family has been the bright light we use to keep our spirits up, and guide our decisions.  We have had a lot of great times and great memories through it all. We have met so many great new friends and caregivers.  We have seen the effects of covid and cancer first hand and are amazed at the exceptional and compassionate care we Canadians sometimes take for granted.  Through it all, the oncology team here in Kingston have found new and advanced treatments, pushed to get access and funding for some of the more bleeding edge therapeutics, and because of their skill and tenacity,  have kept Cathy alive and thriving during these last 3 years.  It has been no small feat, and we feel the exceptional care, clinical directions, and options she received here in Kingston are the only reason she is here with us to celebrate today.  For obvious reasons we all can’t come together for Cathy’s 50th but we can show our love and support by giving to the professionals who give of themselves; the people who guide us to a better place in our worst moments.  So if you can, please donate to the those who have given our family, and many others, the gift of guidance, compassion, and hope.  Please feel free to share this story as all donations will go directly to the University hospitals Kingston foundation and be directed to the cancer centre on Cathy’s behalf.   

Thanks! Dave, Pat, and Lizzy.