Two years ago Jill MacDonald’s life changed forever. Within the span of a few days, both she and her husband Jeff received cancer diagnoses.
“We lost my husband Jeff in December of last year and that was very hard, especially around Christmas time,” MacDonald told Global News.
Following the news of the diagnoses, family and community members stepped up to help the couple and their three young children – bringing them meals, helping out around the house and doing yard work.
“We have so many friends, family and lots of neighbours that were here to support us and got us through Christmas and life without Jeff, it was really hard to lose him,” MacDonald said.
An online fundraising page was also set up to help the MacDonald family and ultimately raised tens of thousands of dollars.
MacDonald said she was hesitant and a little uncomfortable with the idea of asking for help and taking other people’s money at first, but the fundraiser turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
WATCH: Community raises money for Halifax couple diagnosed with cancer 3 days apart
After her husband’s death, MacDonald was at the end of the line for her cancer treatment options in Nova Scotia and decided to take a chance on treatment in the United States.
“Because of those funds that people so kindly donated, I was able to afford to seek treatment in the U.S. in a clinical trial,” she said.
“Honestly, without that support, I probably wouldn’t be here today.”
For nearly a year, MacDonald had to travel to Michigan every three weeks to take part in the clinical trial for Keytruda; a drug that is typically used to treat skin cancer but is now being used in clinical trials for bone cancer.
Although MacDonald said not everyone in the clinical trial has had the same results, for her, the treatment has “miraculously stabilized” her cancer.
“I did have to have my leg amputated in February of last year to get rid of the cancer from the original site and I’ve had my prosthetic leg since May,” she said.
“I’m rehabilitating and I’m doing really well.”
MacDonald, an elementary school teacher, is still learning to adapt to life since her amputation and is now getting treatment in Halifax. She said she is incredibly grateful for everything that everyone has done for her and her family through this difficult time in their lives.
“People have really bent over backward for us, not just financially to get us through that tough time – but they continue to bring meals to the house, we get meals every week. I get messages still on Facebook. I have people texting me every day to check in on me. It’s just the little things that people do that really show me how wonderful people can be,” she said.
Despite everything that cancer has taken from her, MacDonald’s sister said she is a “rock star” and continues to be an inspiration to everyone around her.
“She has proven that you can be faced with so many difficult challenges and you can persevere,” MacDonald’s sister, Heather Graham, said.
“She is an example to people that you can face challenges and you can still laugh and still be happy and be there for your family and your friends. Kindness is so important to Jill and I just hope that other people can see that she is a fighter and she’s gonna fight until she can’t fight anymore. Nothing will stop her.”
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