Woman cycles into Rainy River to raise awareness for cancer survivor programs

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Representing Canada at the Miss Universe Figures Competition in 2000 Dee Miller was a picture of health. Then something happened that would change her life and the direction it was going for good.
Miller, who grew up in Espanola, Ontario, and eventually moved to the city of Ajax, was always a fit person and eventually started her own personal training business in the Toronto area. However, the picture of health she emulated would be shattered when she went in for a routine check up by her doctor.
Tests revealed that she had cervical cancer. She had surgery and was lucky to be cancer free afterwards. However, what followed the experience is what changed her direction.
She found that she was very fatigued and unsure of what she could or should do about it. “I went back to my oncologist and we talked about what we could do to help survivors.” Miller noted that there was little if any information or support systems for survivors. “With more and more people surviving (cancer) today I saw a need for programs to help them.”
Using the energy she has as a fitness oriented person, www.CaringVoices.ca and www.RenewedStrength.ca were born. However, it was not an overnight process. Miller approached the Ministry of Health and discovered that in order to access grants she would need a registered non-profit charity status. After that was attained it became clear that once Caring Voices and Renewed Strength were up and running, there is definitely a need for them.
But letting cancer survivors know about the services offered through Caring Voices was the next challenge. So Miller took it upon herself to raise awareness this summer by cycling to 100 places in Ontario, one of which was Rainy River last Wednesday.
In every community she has biked to she has spent time at their hospital raising awareness about the programs offered by Caring Voices. Last Wednesday she left information at Rainy River Hospital for survivors to access and she met with Mayor Debbie Ewald who also works at the Health Unit.
Caring Voices, a program of the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, offers a vast resource library on various types of cancer and how to cope with surviving. It also features events listings for things such as on line chats about cancer and surviving. There is a section for on line chatting where survivors can ask questions and have them answered. Survivors can also network with other people going through similar situations as they are.
Renewed Strength used Dee’s personal background to provide strength and mobility training to men and women recovering from chemotherapy, radiation therapy and/or cancer surgery through specially designed DVD’s and video’s and free classes. Dee hopes it will also foster valued and meaningful partnerships to promote and advance Renewed Strength Programs.
Using the 100 day cycling trip she is also promoting the 100 Day Fitness Challenge that Renewed Strength has developed for cancer survivors. It is a 100 day fitness and exercise schedule for survivors to combat the fatigue that they experience much the same as Dee did. “It was very hard for me to feel so fatigued. Now it is amazing to hear stories from survivors that have taken the 100 Day Challenge. The little things that they achieve each day are really big things for them.” Many survivors are afraid to do anything strenuous after treatment. But Renewed Strength does what is says... it helps them renew their strength and gives them a place to ask questions about what they can do after surviving cancer.
Miller’s work has been duly noted all over North America. She is constantly in demand as a speaker both on line and at cancer symposiums throughout the year.
Miller said that she has travelled to Thunder Bay Regional Cancer Centre several times and realized once there that there was a huge piece of geography she was not reaching with her services. That is one of the reasons she decided to travel to just about every Northwestern Ontario community with a hospital. Rainy River was the half way point on her 100 day journey and her progress can be tracked on the Caring Voices web site.
Anyone wanting information about survivor services can find the info. Miller left at Rainy River, Emo and Fort Frances hospitals or check out her Renewed Strength and Caring Voices web sites.
Her journey will end on the 100th day in Ajax, Ont. on Sept. 17, 2008. There are photos on line of her stops so far.