Stories

Laurent Coray story I remember my first official day as an electrical engineer. It was 1987 and it had taken a while to finally land that coveted job. As I was walking into work, I could see the landscaping crew working away, a job that I had just been doing the last few months to […]

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face”. -Iron Mike Tyson This disease seems so familiar or common until the doctor sits in front of you and says, “the test results came back and…”. For me, and I figure for many others, life is never the same. My Dad told me “everyone […]

​For the KickinCancer organization, aka WeAreTheSolution, 2020 started with a full day workshop featuring five amazing speakers and many local vendors with advice on how to “Kick start your year.” Sadly, as COVID-19 hit we had to pivot, both with the education program and the support program.

Six months ago, my father died…it’s still weird to make that statement as it feels as if he is still here! One of the things I did not anticipate about losing a parent is realizing how many times a day you think about them…I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve picked up the phone […]

“My name is Yoli Origel, I am a 12-year survivor of Stage 3 Triple Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (Breast Cancer). I have been a patient of St. Joseph’s Center for Cancer Prevention and Treatment since December 2007, and most recently a patient of Hoag Hospital Presbyterian. After my diagnosis, I battled cancer with 16 weeks […]

My father, Manuel Ellerbrock, was not just strong minded but in the eyes of his oldest daughter, he was bigger than life. All my memories of my father are reminiscent of the movie stars of his time. He was born in 1927 and 17 years older than my mom. He was 39 when I was […]

This last Christmas of 2020 had been 17 months since we learned of Margaret Ann’s cancer diagnosis. This cancer journey began in a casual way on July 15, 2019 with a comment Margaret Ann made while Griff was visiting his Primary Care Doctor. Within six weeks of that comment, Margaret Ann experienced the compassionate care […]

My name is Paul Herold.  I am 79 years old and still work part time as a tax accountant in Oxnard, Calif. Every year i would get a blood test, and every year my PSA was going up. The Urologist I was seeing at that time kept telling me that it was my age. Last […]

Asking “how” or “why me” when given a cancer diagnosis does not serve towards healing.  Sometimes, people who eat a plant based diet, exercise regularly, with no history of smoking or drinking still get cancer.  Sometimes, things just happen. For Jennifer, the lung cancer diagnosis process was probably a long time coming.  Shortness of breath […]

My name is Rhonda Allen. I am a colon cancer survivor of 5 years. I got involved with the KickinCancer – WeAreTheSolution organization and it is the best thing I have done for myself. They have taught me about the importance of eating healthy, exercising, and support to a better life to prevent cancer. In […]

In 2010, I was a self-referral to a clinic for Oncology. Little did I know that I was embarking on a journey that would be filled with many encounters that would leave me full of angst and trepidation. After completing my chemotherapy and radiation treatments for breast cancer, I was placed on several medications as […]

Several years into my dream job as a volcanologist in 1988 I answered the phone late at night as duty seismologist at the University of Washington Geophysics Seismology Lab. The news media was calling about a possible series of earthquakes being felt by Bellevue residents. While answering the phone I brushed my hair back over […]

Ralph was a one of a kind, kinda man . He loved hardball baseball and played most of his life from high school on. He continued playing up until 2013 as a catcher for the MSBL league in California. Baseball was how Ralph and Rebecca met and started their life together. Ralph also was a […]

This story about Sue Juran is written from the perspective of her youngest granddaughter, Claire. I first want to start off by saying my amazing grandmother was a passionate follower of Christ, a great wife, a loving mother, and an overly fun grandmother. The summer of 2013, Sue constantly felt ill. She started to stay […]

Meet Bone Cancer survivor Daisy Keefer On Valentines day 2009, I was on a trip to the store with my mom, when she noticed a lump on my shoulder that hadn’t been seen through my winter clothes. She thought maybe my shoulder was dislocated, but I had full function and no pain. I honestly didn’t […]

Hi! I am Robin Paulissen, I am excited to be one of the new Board member at We Are The Solution Kickin-Cancer. I little about me: I currently work for the Oregon State Police as a Operations & Policy Analyst. I have 30 years of a law and finance background. Why this organization is so […]

Rebecca Smith’s story I have had multiple health issues as far back as I can remember, starting at about age 13. I always had pains in my stomach, legs, arms, and back. Plus I felt weak a lot! I also would gain weight, then for years was so underweight the doctors were worried. Being 97 […]

Marsha’s Message The Lovin Run and the Retreats and Seminars presented by Kickin Cancer/We are the Solution are a wonderful opportunity to show support of a healthy lifestyle in preventing cancer. We wanted to acknowledge to Marsha by letting her know that her life lived on earth was not in vain; she taught us and […]

My name is Derek Gilbert and I have been a volunteer firefighter since 2006. It had been a longtime dream of mine to be a paid firefighter and was privileged to serve as the volunteer coordinator and a responding firefighter for the Stayton Fire District for two years through a federal grant to recruit and […]

I appreciate getting to share my story of hope and survival. 22 years ago, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. The cancer had spread outside of my colon and into the surrounding tissue. I remember when I woke up from the colonoscopy and saw the doctors face something was terribly wrong. I asked him if […]

My Incredible Brother’s Journey I am the oldest of six children who except for the youngest are only 12-13 months apart. As you can imagine my mother was quite overwhelmed with babies for quite some time and I became her “helper” at a very early age. As the oldest, I of course, have all the […]

Robert Lucas was my father and an aircraft mechanic for Douglas Aircraft, by trade.  During the early 60’s he went to work for North American Rockwell in Southern California, as Project Manager. Dad was also a cabling specialist and worked with the design team that invented the umbilical cord used for the early space walks. […]

  In 2007, at 19 years old, James Burns began his battle with testicular cancer. After being treated with chemotherapy, he became eligible for surgery.  Over the next few years James continued to go in for blood tests and CAT scans every 3-6 months to monitor his cancer markers. In 2010-11 James’ markers went up […]

I joined the Air Force and did my basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio Texas. I tested well and was sent to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi Mississippi to attend Morse Radio Intercept training. Upon completion of my training, I was sent to Crete and was assigned a position which […]

He’s Waiting for Jesus. He’s waiting to go to Jesus.  This beautiful man, full of love and life just a few months ago. Waiting, longing but also wanting to stay.  Joined with this family that adopted him, and he certainly adopted them. God drew them together, this man and woman. He, dark as the night, […]

A climbing team has been put together to honor Chris Ray’s grandma, Elizabeth (Baldwin) Torchio, aka “Betty,” on the 7th anniversary of her going to Heaven following a brief battle with lung cancer. On March 8th of 2020, Baron Robison, creator of the KickinCancer movement will be climbing the US Bank tower in Portland, OR […]