Ontario Community Newspapers

Oakville Beaver, 10 Jul 2013, p. 12

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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, July 10, 2013 | 12 Friends help make a difficult journey brighter by Nathan Howes special to the Beaver The Oakville Waterfront Festival is Back and Bigger Than Ever! The Oakville Waterfront Festival is less than one-month away from making its grand return! Taking place in Oakville's historic Coronation Park, this three-day celebration of great food, great music and great friends, will run from Friday August 2nd to Sunday August 4th. Best of all, for the first time in history the Oakville Waterfront Festival will be FREE and everyone's invited! "We are really excited to unveil the new Oakville Waterfront Festival to the community," said Bill Smith, chair of Celebrate Oakville Festivals. Whether you're a foodie or a music enthusiast, you can bet this year's festival will have something for you. A variety of award winning food trucks from Ontario Food Trucks have already been announced. The weekend will also be filled with daily performances from many critically acclaimed musical acts. "We've been doing our best to keep this year's musical guests tightly under wraps," commented Bill Smith, "but we are very excited to begin announcing our star studded line up this week." If you are planning on bringing your kids, the festival will have plenty to keep them occupied from amusement rides to pony rides and everything in between. More details about the Oakville Waterfront Festival will continue to be announced in the coming days. Mark your calendars! This is one event you will not want to miss. Festival Schedule: Friday August 2, 2013: 6:00pm- 11:00pm Saturday August 3, 2013: 10:00am- 11:00pm Sunday August 4, 2013: 10:00am- 6:00pm For more information please visit: www.oakvillewaterfrontfestival.ca Connect with the festival today: Twitter- @OWF2013 Facebook- Oakville Waterfront Festival No matter what curve ball life throws at Sherri Moynihan, she can always count on her friends to step up. That's what Meghan Tarr did when she cut her hair to support Moynihan, who was diagnosed with goblet cell carcinoid -- a rare cancer of the appendix -- earlier this year. Moynihan, of Oakville, shortened her hair to avoid losing it through chemotherapy and said she cried when Tarr told her she was going to cut hers, too. "It's a big commitment to make to somebody. There are no words to describe how touched I was. I felt so honoured that someone would do this with me. It kind of became a girls' day-out-type thing as opposed to what it could have represented," said Moynihan. Tarr said she wanted to support her friend and thought getting a haircut to- gether would be something fun for them to do. "I really wanted to do something for her because this is really a tough thing she's going through, especially to be a mother (with) two kids. I just wanted to let her escape for a day and have fun," said Tarr. Moynihan completed three rounds of chemo since beginning it almost two months before at Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital before she cut her hair. She received three drugs by IV and was then sent home with an infusion pump, she said. "It continues to deliver chemotherapy for another 42 hours. My treatments are based on colon (cancer) treatments because the appendix is attached to the colon," said Moynihan. Dealing with the cancer and chemotherapy has taken a toll on Moynihan and her family. Having to attend regular appointments has made it difficult for her to spend time with her husband, Kevin, and daughters Daisy and Hanora, To make Sherri Moynihan's, seen at left with her daughter Daisy, journey through cancer treatment brighter, Meghan Tarr, at right with her daughter Holly, cut her hair in support of her friend. Here they are pictured prior to their appointment with Joe Commisso of Hair Xtacy, who donated his services as a stylist. | photo by Inger MacKenzie ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @ halton_photog) BUY 1 GET 1 on any Windex® Trigger Spray FREE! 300125021 Get your coupon at Save.ca (while quantities last) facebook.com/savedotca is a division of she said. "My mom lives with us so she is able to rearrange her work schedule to be home and take care of the baby while we go to these appointments. My older (daughter) is in daycare three days a week," said Moynihan. "It's (tough) when my daughter keeps asking me, `Mommy, are you still sick?' or `Why is your hair falling out?' It's (difficult) trying to explain to her that (I'm) still sick and I'm still trying." Moynihan said her friends suffer just as much because "they love me and don't want to see me going through this." "It's hard for them to see (me) when I'm in a treatment. I sleep pretty much the whole weekend. That's the removal of me from my family life and it's really hard," said Moynihan. While it has been difficult, the situation has brought Moynihan closer to her friends and family. She said her loved ones have made her feel special and the support she's received has made the fight worth it. "Each person has brought and offered something different. My one cousin drives here from Waterloo and the other one comes from Sutton. They try to bring my nephew to play with my oldest daughter," said Moynihan. "Meghan cut her hair for me and I had (another) friend who cleaned my house and sits with me holding my hand every weekend." Moynihan was scheduled for a follow up CT scan at the end of June. Doctors are reviewing her progress to see if treatments have been working, she said, and whether she needs to continue with chemotherapy or if another laparoscopy is required. "With that laparoscopy, he would remove a lot more of my scarred tissue to see what they're looking at in terms of how much of the abdominal wall has been covered," said Moynihan. "You don't realize it until it's too late when it's not an obvious (cancer) they check for. If you feel like there is anything wrong in your body, you really have to get it checked out." If all goes well, she will qualify to undergo a hemicolectomy, or "de-bulking" surgery, later this year or early next, Moynihan said. "There (are) only a few doctors or surgeons who do it. They peel your abdominal cavity lining and get rid of any of the nodules, like the cancer or mini-tumours," said Moynihan. "There might be a partial removal of my bowel, as well as the appendix, at that time." Although Moynihan is in an arduous position, Tarr said she is really strong and has shown a lot of courage in her battle against the disease. "I'm really proud of Sherri. She is so optimistic and is such a good example for her girls. It's inspiring to see her go through this with such a great attitude. It takes a really strong person to do that."

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