A Winnipeg police officer who battled cancer will be an “Honoured Hero” for this year’s Light The Night walk.
The walk raises funds and awareness about blood cancer and a few individuals are recognized every year for their inspiring story.
“In 2017, I was diagnosed with stage 3 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and not long after, I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter. It’s been a difficult journey,” said Rachel Vertone, a mother of two.
“I gave birth to a healthy baby in January and did five rounds of chemo therapy and now have two years of maintenance chemo in the future,” added Vertone.
She has a message for people diagnosed with cancer, or for anyone who knows someone who has.
“Stay positive. Letting negatives take control can really take a toll on you. Positivity gets you through a lot.”
Vertone gets a lot of comfort from doing the walk.
“I find it comforting to be part of a big community of blood cancer survivors and care givers. I didn’t know a lot about the cancer before I was diagnosed,” Vertone added.
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Vertone, who has been a police officer with both the RCMP and Winnipeg Police Service for about a decade, said it feels great to be the Honoured Hero.
“It’s such a blessing. I am happy to be there for other survivors and care givers and to share my story,” she said.
Light The Night takes places at The Forks on Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. More information can be found here.
WATCH: Light The Night to raise funds and awareness for cancer on Sept. 29