Empowered teen steps up to fight cancer |
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Kathleen Dion, center, has joined the fund-raising battle against cancer in light of her father Larry, and brother Matthew’s (seated at center) struggle with the disease. Pictured are members of Matthew’s Militia at the 2011 American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Reminder Publications submitted photo
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June 27, 2011
By Katelyn Gendron
Assistant Managing Editor
SPRINGFIELD — Teresa Dion, mother of three, and wife of Larry Dion, isn’t quite sure what a normal life is but she’s committed to keeping family life a copasetic as possible, even as her husband and youngest son, Matthew, 10, battle cancer.
Their daughter, Kathleen, 17, empowered by Matthew and Larry’s resiliency, has spearheaded various fund-raising efforts throughout the years to help find a cure for her brother’s unknown type of tumor and her father’s stomach cancer.
“We spent 18 hours walking, celebrating, remembering and fighting back against cancer,” Kathleen said of her most recent fund-raising effort with the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in May. “We will continue to combat cancer until a cure is found. Our team walked in blue camouflage T-shirts and on the back they read, ‘Cancer is a WORD, not a SENTENCE.’”
Kathleen, along with the other members of her family, including her younger brother, Timothy, 14, raised $1,500 at this year’s Relay for Life and more than $10,000 throughout the past four years selling Miracle bracelets to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network.
“When all of this started, she was only 12 years old in the sixth grade,” Teresa said of Kathleen’s fund-raising efforts in the wake of Matthew’s diagnosis at age 5. “Instead of getting angry, she decided she wanted to help her brother and make a difference.”
Teresa noted Matthew’s tumor “has never been named,” nor do doctors “actually know what it is.” He is treated with medication and is seen by physicians at Boston Children’s Hospital twice each year.
“So far they have been able to keep it shrunk and suppressed with steroids,” Teresa explained of Matthew’s treatment. “When his numbers are off they adjust but so far it’s been OK. When that changes I guess then we will have to cross that bridge. We take it one day at a time. Life happens and I’ve always treated all the kids the same we don’t dwell on issues we just do what we have to and live for today, tomorrow will come and we will take each tomorrow as it [comes].
“I’m not sure what a normal life is suppose to be but I think we’re pretty normal most days. We just have some challenges in life but today I think many people do. We just pray for the best and keep going. No one ever guaranteed life was going to be easy now we know why,” she continued.
Matthew said he just enjoys being a kid and student at St. Mary’s Academy in Longmeadow, as well as working on fund-raisers with his sister. “She really works hard and I help. We hope that one day there won’t be a cancer the doctors can’t cure. When I’m older and go to college, if they don’t find a cure, maybe I will,” he added.
Kathleen, a student at Minnechaug Regional High School, also has plans to attend college and do her part to propel the medical field forward.
“I have always had high hopes for college and doing something good with my life,” she said. “Having everything with my brother and father happen, has curbed me in figuring out what I’d like to do with my life.
“Having been exposed to people passing away, I was never sure I could handle that, but I knew I still wanted to help. I have decided on becoming a pharmacist, and my top three college choices currently, are the University of Rhode Island, the University of Connecticut, and the University of New England, all great pharmacy schools, as well as ones that have competitive swim teams,” Kathleen continued, noting that she’s a member of the Falcons Swim Club and her high school swim team.
Teresa said Kathleen has always been self-motivated and never needed her encouragement be it academically, athletically or with her fund-raising projects.
When asked about her husband’s prognosis, Teresa replied, “He is in remission for lymphoma and he also has stomach cancer. It’s a low-grade, slow moving [cancer] so our hope is science finds a cure. Our life is in God’s hands. I believe everything happens for a reason and someday we will know the reasons for all of this.”
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