Jessica Christensen has been living with cancer for the last seven months and says she'll have to take medication for the rest of her life. So far, it's been a drain.“It's affected my life a lot just because my boys are four and six and they're really active and I'm tired all the time, just trying to get the right medications,” Christensen said as her two sons, Corben and Carsen, scampered around at the entrance of Boston Pizza in Olds.“They're like that from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed,” she said.Christensen, 28, is a Didsbury resident and was in town on July 21 to receive a $500 cheque from Angela Sutherland, owner and manager of the local Boston Pizza. That money came from concession sales at the Central Alberta Draft Horse Classic, held at the Olds Regional Exhibition in June.The two met and have since become friends after the restaurant held the Boob Tour in April, a comedy event that raises money for breast cancer.In October last year, Christensen was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, news that made her think about the impact it would have on her young family.“It hurt a lot. I was pretty scared just because I have two small children and I'm pretty young,” she said. “But I've had lots of support from family and friends so it's been a pretty quick journey. It's not like, dragging out. It's gone by pretty fast so I'm thankful for that.”Christensen had her thyroid removed and in August, will undergo radiation treatment with the possibility of chemotherapy down the road.Besides lethargy, Christensen said she hasn't experienced the side effects doctors warned her about, such as nausea.Since the diagnosis, she said she values her life more but has not allowed the disease to change her personality."It hasn't been easy but (I) have lots of family and support," she said.Sutherland's restaurant has held a number of fundraisers to benefit those struck by cancer in the past.A few years ago, it started with an auction dinner for Cody Dolan, a 12-year-old Didsbury child at the time diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a bone cancer, Sutherland said.She later participated in a walk-a-thon for women's cancer.“Then I decided instead of giving the money to an organization, I'd rather give it to people that can actually benefit from the money,” she said. “Rather than an organization where I don't know where the money's going.”That money will likely be used to pay bills, Christensen said.She is currently employed at Leo's Building Supplies but has taken a leave because of her many doctors' appointments, though she takes the odd shift.She is also trained as a hair stylist and worked a few years at Hair Central.Since her diagnosis, work has been put on hold. As a result, her husband has been “working like crazy.”When asked if she had advice for others battling the disease, Christensen said the end result is all in the mind.“Think positive. That's all I can say,” she said. “You think positive, you're going to get positive. You think negative, you're going to get negative.”“We thought positive this whole entire time and so far the outcome's been really good.”[email protected]
