A Stratford woman and her family recently made a big donation to the Stratford General Hospital Foundation.
In 2023, Dustie Fischer Allen was diagnosed with rectal cancer. She received radiation treatments in London but was able to do her chemotherapy treatments in Stratford.
She says after the amazing care she received, she and her family wanted to donate to the In Our Hands capital campaign, and she wants to help others have some positivity in their cancer journey.
"Obviously I have lots of follow-up treatments, I have an MRI and CT scan coming up, which I'll be doing in Stratford, as well. So it's just nice to be able to do those things close to home and give back to the hospital that's been helping me with my journey," Dustie shared.
The donation of $10,000 from Dustie and her family supports the purchase of a Chair Bay for the new Cancer and Medical Care Clinic at Stratford General Hospital. Dustie says she wants people going through the cancer fight to be comfortable and receive care close to home like she did.
Dustie says it was difficult to begin her cancer journey travelling to London and back for radiation, and when she was able to do chemo close to home, it made a huge difference to her and her family.
"I can do that here, in my home town, and not worry about getting home to my kids, or being away. It was very hard to do radiation in London, because it was always a different time of day. Luckily I had a lot of people and family supporting me and driving me, because I couldn't have done that myself. But being near home when the chemo started, it was so much easier to deal with those treatments," added Dustie.
With many others beginning their cancer fight or in the midst of one, Dustie says she wants to send a message of positivity to others who are in the fight against cancer.
"You just have a lot of emotions at the beginning because you don't know what's gonna happen to you, you just don't. You don't know what kind of treatment you're gonna need and you're sort of waiting for answers," she explained. "I just feel like I talked to a lot of people that went through the same sort of cancer that I had, so I felt that that really helped me, to talk to other people that had been through this."
When she initially got her diagnosis, Dustie was 44-years-old with two kids, and the news really hit hard. She says being able to contribute to improvements in care at Stratford General Hospital is very meaningful for her, considering all she and her family went through.
“Those words changed my life,” she recalled. “It was overwhelming to think about the long journey ahead, sorting through all the information, doctor’s calls, and treatment plans. The uncertainty of what was going to happen felt so daunting. I was scared to tell people, to tell my kids, I kept it from them and other people for a while, just because it's such a jarring experience and I couldn't even talk about it at the start."
A statement from the hospital foundation said the new chair bay will make a big difference for patients going through similar experiences to what Dustie went through in her fight.
"Located in the clinic’s main treatment area, the Chair Bays offer abundant natural light in a climate-controlled environment with privacy options. These chairs provide comfort for patients during treatments, promoting rest and addressing the ergonomic needs of the dedicated healthcare team," the statement said.
As she moves forward and leaves cancer behind her, Dustie says she's so thankful for all the great care she received along the way, and she's hopeful that others will find strength to see their journey through with the new upgrades helping them do that.
“When my doctor walked in and said, ‘So, everything is gone,’ I was shocked. I had fully prepared myself for surgery, so those words were a gift. Advances in cancer research and treatment have made such a difference, and I hope my story and my family’s donation brings comfort and hope to others facing a similar battle," Dustie concluded.
For more information about how you can support the Stratford General Hospital Foundation visit www.sghfoundation.org.