Cancer survivor Mei-Lin Yee first started spinning as way of staying healthy enough to make through her chemotherapy.
In 2009, at the age of 45, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was told she had 18 months to live.
But Yee fought on, going through 174 sessions of chemotherapy, with doctors having to try five different cocktails.
“The more lines of treatment they have to try on somebody, the worse the prognosis is,” Yee said. “And with me, they gave the fifth line of treatment less than five per cent chance of working.”
The stage 4 metastatic breast cancer survivor said thoughts of her family kept her going.
“I really needed to live for my husband and my children and I was determined to not die,” Yee said. “I started spinning as a result of wanting to make it to that fifth line of treatment.”
Yee has been cancer-free for three years, but during her fight with cancer she relied on services offered by the Canadian Cancer Society.
As a way of giving back, Yee, approached the society with the idea of organizing a spinning-class marathon in the West Island.
This year’s four hour “Great Spin” was held at Des Sources High School in Dollard-des-Ormeaux and drew over 60 participants who raised $36,000.
There are 12 “Great Spin” activities planned across the province for February.
To learn more about the event, head to the Great Spin online or consult the Canadian Cancer Society’s website.
WATCH BELOW: Cancer survivor Mei-Lin Yee and medical student François Gagnon join senior anchor Jamie Orchard to discuss their reasons for taking part in the Canadian Cancer Society’s “Great Spin” fund raising challenge.