Woodstock Relay For Life: Kay-Lynn Stevens to be guest speaker at Relay For Life

19-year-old from Woodstock has been battling cancer since age of 5

Stevens also inspires people through her charity "Kay-Lynn's Smile"

‘Cancer can beaten’

That’s a long-time adage of the Canadian Cancer Society.

For Woodstock 19-year-old Kay-Lynn Stevens, cancer has been a battle since the age of 5 – a battle within to hopefully find a cure from the brain cancer she has been diagnosed with and continues to receive treatment.

Stevens is the community champion for Relay For Life for the CCS on Friday, June 10 (Open Ceremony is at 7 p.m.) and will be a guest speaker to the hundreds gathered for the 17th annual Relay in Woodstock.

Kay-Lynn also has her own on-going charity called “Kay-Lynn’s Smile”. Look her up on Facebook to understand why she collects money to donate stuffed toys and comforting blankets to the children’s hospital in London.

This past February, Kay-Lynn along with family and friends organized an event at the Cowan Park (indoor soccer facility) in Woodstock which was set up as family carnival to gain awareness for the Kay-Lynn’s Smile group.

Kay-Lynn is also on the front cover of the June edition of the Woodstock-area based magazine created by Carla Garrett, which is called Inspire.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Kay-Lynn’s Smile

Description from Facebook page:

I have created this page in hopes to share my smile with children battling cancer and terminal illnesses by bringing blankets and teddy bears to Children’s Hospital LHSC.

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Kay-Lynn Stevens. I'm 19 years old and fighting cancer for the third time.

I have Ependymona which is a rare type of brain cancer.

I was first diagnosed when I was five years old and after fourteen hours of brain surgery my family was told they successfully removed my tumour.

Two years later my family received the devastating news that my cancer had returned. I was now seven and had to undergo another operation and eight weeks of radiation. After my treatment I was once again told my cancer was removed and would return to the hospital every three months for an MRI to make sure it doesn't return.

After awhile with no signs of my cancer returning I would begin to go for an MRI every six months, then nine and finally It would begin a yearly routine I would have to endure for the rest of my life.

In January of 2015 I would have been 10 years cancer free, but this winter I became ill. A few weeks before Christmas I was rushed to Woodstock General Hospital after becoming unconscious, It was there that a CT scan revealed my cancer was back.

I was taken to University hospital in London for more testing and the results where not good. This time was cancer was extremely aggressive, inoperable and they also found cancer in my spine. I just finished my second round of radiation and beginning chemotherapy and regardless of my age I still love cuddling up with my blankets and teddy bears to make me feel better.

Battling cancer can be the scariest time in anyone's life, that why my hopes are to reach out to children In hospitals and give them a reason to smile again. My mission is to collect donated teddy bears and blankets and personally bring them to children where I'm also able to share my story with them and hopefully put a smile back on their face.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Relay For Life is among the most important charitable annual events in Woodstock. You can register at www.relayforlife.ca/woodstock. You can attend on Friday if you have not registered, but you will be required to register after you arrive at Relay (Free for cancer survivors as they register as a survivor and will receive a t-shirt) as this is more than just a fund raising event as countless volunteer hours go into creating this remarkable evening with a survivors’ lap, solemn luminary ceremony, information tent, children’s play area, food tent, and so much more.

Over the past 16 years, Relay For Life in Woodstock has raised more than $3.5 million for research projects, advocacy, and to also assist in the man y integral local activities such as driving patients to doctor appointments