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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-03-23, Page 3People in Profile: Cancer can be beaten, Helen says By Ashley Geddes marks showed the spots for cobalt she is back to playing the harmonica. Helen Bisback of Clinton is living proof treatment due to cancer. "You look back and say, gee, did I that the fight against cancer is not futile. Helen believes now that "faith, hope really go through all that," exclaims At 53 years old, she has lived through and prayers" helped her through her Helen with a gleam in her eye. But she cancer and come out a winner. ordeal. She always went in for her adds more seriously, "It's so easy to Eight years ago, two weeks after her treatment with a smile and tried to keep forget." yearly medical check-up, Helen in good spirits as much as possible. "When I had my first check-up I developed a sore throat. Her husband Seeing other cancer patients in the clinic thought if I ever had cancer I'dgive up. looked down her throat with the aid of a in London made her realize others were But when I found out I wasn.t really flashlight, holding her tongue down with worse off. Some people couldn't speak cit afraid," she says. a spoon, and saw an inflammation. all for much longer periods than her. Helen didn't give up and today she is Helen had her tonsils removed when she Some babies had the dreaded disease. hopeful about the future for cancer. At was 15 and a small piece of tissue called Today Helen, with silver hair and least now, she said, people are more a tonsil tag was left. Usually the tag bright flashing eyes, believes she is cautious and if they have something causes no problem she was told. completely cured. At first she went back wrong they'll go and have it checked. She went back to the doctor and he for frequent check-ups but now she goes She values health more than anything. ave her antibiotics for about a week. By yearly. She has not had a recurrence In "All the money in the world won't buy this time the tonsil taghad nearlyeight g years and happily points out, your health," she says. doubled in size, however, so she was "They say if you get over the first five advised to have it removed. The doctor years, you've got it licked." told her it would only be minor surgery. But Helen's life has been, deeply af- But he told Helen she had cancer fected by her brush with cancer. She now Friday, March 20, 1970. After the tag had feels a keener awareness of life. been removed, the biopsy report "In all things there is pain and joy and revealed her fate. For the next one -and- for the greater part, I realize my good a -half years Helen did not work at her fortune. Not the least of it is keener job at the Clinton Public J-lospital in the awareness of life - the smiles of my dietary department and she went friends, handclasps of loved ones, all through an ordeal that was ' to have a these are mine to enjoy. I am grateful traumatic effect on her life. for the gift of life h,owever long it is mine For many people inflicted with cancer, to have." the will and spirit of life is severely When Helen is asked to think back to shattered. For Helen, the experience the time before she had cancer, she brought new meaning to her life. smiles at the memory and admits she She was given a thorough really knew little about the disease. Shp examination, X-rayed and a blue X was never thought about it, she said. Now she marked on either side of her throat. is more considerate of others and more These remained for six months. willing to help others out. etShe was warned not to wash her face Since she has had to face cancer r neck. She was to have 25 cobalt herself, Helen does a lot of reading on treatments and was advised to stay at the subject. And she gives much more the Thameswood Lodge in London, close toward cancer research. to the cancer clinic at Victoria Hospital. Since she was cured, she has also Helen did not wish to stay at the lodge counselled others inflicted with the but chose rather to commute each day. disease - some who have later died. Her friends, hearing of the decision to These cancer patients get en - return home daily, came to her aid and couragement from talking with Helen. provided her with a different driver each They say, "Did you feel this," or, "How day. long before that." They compare their During the treatment period, Helen situation with Helen's. One girl had tried to keep active. Although she could heard the treatment was painful. Helen not work at her job, she helped out at ensured her it wasn't, but had to admit banquets at the Legion hall. She had that complications did sometimes arise. friends come over to the house as often Still, she 'feels her talking with these as possible. She would slip momentarily people helps out and she enjoys doing it. into moments of depression and- if she "People look at me and say, 'Gee, she didn't have a lot of company she felt as 'had it. If I can look as good as she does, though she had no friends, she explains: I'll fight it.' I feel as though I am helping Her 25th treatment caused a negative them." reaction. Her throat became sore and Looking back, Helen feels that people blistered, her tongue swelled and she were "wonderful" to her during her had excessive amounts of mucous in her treatment period. Her friends helped out throat causing a choking sensation. It as much as possible and people at the was not an exception to go through a box hospital where she worked sent her of tissue papers every night. Radiation custards, nourishing powder -mix drinks had affected her taste buds and salivary and disposable tooth brushes. She glands causing lack of taste. With her stresses the important part activity and tongue swollen, she was fed consomme the company of friends played in helping soup with a syringe or she would have her through the hard times. choked. Later, she ate a lot of instant ' "Some people go into a shell.- They breakfasts and liquid foods. think, 'I've got cancer, that's it.' But if Helen lost 35 pounds. you're amongst people you forget about And she had other annoyances. Her it. If you're amongst people at least sore throat prevented laughter, singing you're not sitting around fretting about and playing the harmonica. She became it." frustrated at having to remain silent Now Helen has her job back at the while others were laughing and con- hospital and her life has returned to versing. normal. She proudly announces that her One trip to the store with a friend, the friends at work were glad to see her back cashier remarked about°the X -marks on and complimented her on how well she her neck, joking, not realizing the looked after what she went through. She situation. Her friend had to explain the still looks good, eight years later. And BUILDING CENTRE A Beautiful Kitchen Doesn't Have to be a Dream. We can Turn Your Dream Kitchen into Reality. Belvedere Cabinets are superbly constructed from the finest materials by skilled craftsmen. Choose from a variety �f styles, colors and at- tractive wood finishes. Add to this, a wide range of options to enhance your culinary ex- perience. In selecting First Lady Cabinetry, you are buying more than beautiful storage. With First Lady you are custom -planning a system to meet your personal needs and preferences for labor- saving, time -scrimping efficiency and organization. Ball -Macaulay Seaforth 527-0910 Hensall 262-2418 Clinton 4824514 BUILDING CENTRE Helen Bisback walks to work and enjoys life throughly. CLINTON NEWS -RECORD. THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1978—PAGE 3 Tuckersniithaccepts drain tender by Wilma Oke Tuckersmith Township Council ac- cepted the tenders of Hodgins and Hayter, Ltd., of RR 3 Parkhill for the construction of the Kippen Drain for $1,965 and the Elgie Drain for $1,068 for the open work and $16,819.60 for 'the closed drain. The work is to be done in late summer. Nine tenders were received for the Elgie Drain and four for the Kippen. The engineer's estimate of the cost of open work for the Elgie drain was $1,0001 and $13,700 for the closed work. His estimate of cost for the Kippen drain was not available at the time of the meeting Tuesday night. David Brock of RR 2 Kippen, Allan and Gerry Reid of Hensall and George Penfold, Goderich, of the Huron County Planning Board attended the council session to discuss the sdle of a 25 acre parcel of land by Mr. Brock to the Reids. On the parcel of land there is an area of 71/2 acres of bush and 171/2 acres on which is located a large .sandhill. The Reids will extract sand from this area. Mr. Penfold, who was spokesman for the group, explained that a zoning bylaw is needed to zone the bush area as natural property on which no permanent building or structure is to be constructed and the remainder is to be zoned for removal extraction only. He stated as the material is sand there will be no washing or crushing operation at the site. This bylaw will be subject to the Ontario Municipal Board's approval. It was pointed out to council that while the Pits and Quarries Act does not cover Huron at this time, it is expected that it will in a short time. This will require among other things, the rehabilitation of the area when the sand operation is completed. Because of this, it was deemed wise for the township and the property owner to have a development agreement for the property involved. operty involved. Mr. Penfold will investigate what some of the terms of such an agreement should be' and have them ready for the April 4 meeting. Tuckers mith's building inspector, Henry Van Wieren attended the meeting to answer any questions about home Town of Markham with the petition that building construction and the the Ministry of Treasury retain the requirements of the owner. licensing act which gives municipalities He pointed out the necessity of the right to charge licence fees to cover securing a building permit before administrative and enforcement costs of starting construction and of having an all licensing programs. architect or a building engineer sign the Clerk McLachlan read a letter from building plans. Miriam M. O'Connell of St. Charles, He said, "It's the law. You can't build Illinois, enquiring about information of a house any more the way you like. It Mary Dorsey. born 1843, died January 8, must meet the regulations under the 1929, who was the daughter of Deni building act." Dorsey and Jane Tucker. She would like Another requirement he mentioned any information on the Dorsey family, was the necessity of getting a building his occupation and copies of marriage permit to rebuild or construct a new certificates. She said Mary Dorsey was chimney. He pointed out that green wood married possibly Januaty 9, 1865 or 1864. burning in a stove or a fireplace can "plug a chimney in two months". .Mr. Van Wieren pointed out too that a permit must be secured to cut in a new door or a new window in an established house, or to take out an inside wall. Council will pay the township's share of sending Mr. Van Wieren to Kingston for a second course for building in- spectors during the week of April 3. The township will pay $169 as its share. Approved were the following ap- plications for building permits: Case Postma, RR 4 Clinton, a barn; Robert Fotheringham, RR 4 Seaforth, house alterations; Margaret McNairn, Egmondville, house alterations ; Harvey Hammond, Brucefield, renovations to apartment building and John Elliott, RR 2 Kippen, shed. Two land severances were approved at township level for Allan Haugh of RR 1 Brucefield for a two and one-half acre lot and an implement shop on the Mill Road and for about four and a half acres at Lot 30, Concession 2, containing a house and garage. Clinton Fire Board will hold a meeting Wednesday night to investigate the purchase of a new fire alarm for each fireman such as a beeper. Three com- panies will demonstrate their products. Mr. McLachlan reported on the new ..but teachers... • from page 1 policy was vague and if it could be worded to establish guidelines may be the compromise the teachers could agree to. She said the present proposal gives the teachers a say in teacher workload but added that if "we didn't like what was said that's tough". She said the committee was supposed to have its recommendations for teacher workload for the next school year prepared by March 1, something that is unlikely using the present board proposal. She said the board's offer may be workable for the,1979-80 school year but did nothing for the year under dispute in this contract. The spokesman said she would have been more impressed with the board offer if it had been made 14 months ago when negotiations opened. She said the current dispute destroyed much of the faith teachers had and makes it very difficult for the teacher negotiating team to "sell something to the members that is as `vague' as the policy proposed policy." Weary said the board's veiled threat of changes in the election act calling for urgency had been with every offer to municipal nomination day this year to be date and that the ploy was part of the on October 23, election day on November negotiation game. She said'every offer is 13 with the new council taking over on the final offer and noted when every December 1. offer is final it's hard to tell what is the Council endorsed a resolution from the "final, final offer". WENEED. YOUR USED CAR Spring is officially here and that's: when people start looking for that new car - Come to McGEE'S WE WANT YOUR USED CAR And are prepared to offer you the Highest Possible Trade-in Allowance. SEE OUR Pontiacs - Buick - Cadillacs - GMC Trucks &Vans McGEE' S GODERICH Hamilton Street 524-8391 Ontario Foods Why they should be the first ones to look for when you shop... And how you can fmd them. Ontario's farmers give us some of the finest quality food products and some of the hest food values in the world. That's why Ontario's Ministry of .Agriculture and Food has developed this new Foodland Ontario symhol to help you find them. It will help you identify the superb Ontario -grown foods for sale at your store. Their value and quality alone are enough to make them 'hest Nuys' on your shopping list. But there are other good reasons why you should look for this symhol. Ontario's farmers and their families make up only 5% of Ontario's population, Yet our farm neighbours produce some 200 food commodities worth $3 Killion a year. Like the rest of us, our farmers look for a reasonable standard of living for their hard work, and often risky investment. In return they otter their Ontario neighbours a wide variety of high quality farm products at fair prices. We still import more food into .; Ontario than we export. Our trade balance would he much Netter if we consumed more of our own farm products. By doing so we could ensure a good livelihood for our producers. Arid we'd have increased activity and employment in our large food processing and retailing industries. We'd also assure the continued hest use of our prime farmland. The benefits are for all of us. We all have an investment in the continued good health of our agricultural economy. It's not just sentiment for our family farm heritage — it's plain common sense. We should protect and reinforce our investment in Ontario through our shopping choices. Buy the tine products of Foodland Ontario. Look for them wherever you see the Foodland Ontario symbol. Good Things Grow In On tasio. William Newman, Minister of Agriculture and Food William Davis, Premier Province of Ontario ra~