It’s juxtaposed by a Disney World photograph of the Fitzgerald clan, including husband Tom and their two young daughters, a Polynesian lei draped around each of their necks and Mrs. Fitzgerald wearing a pink bandana over her hairless head.

“I would tell people, it was more difficult losing my hair than losing my breast,” she said, her chocolate locks replaced by a shorter cropped version of salt and pepper.

“It grew back gray and curly,” she said with a laugh.

Being more than one year into remission from a March 2007 breast cancer diagnosis, the experience has taught her, above all else, not to sweat the small stuff.

It also brought the soft spoken mother of two and daycare worker out of her shell.

While many cancer patients opt to quietly pitch a personal battle against the disease, Mrs. Fitzgerald, 39, has chosen, instead, to take her story public with the hope it will inspire others.

Next month, she will kick off Newmarket’s Relay For Life after being selected by the local chapter of the Canadian Cancer Society for the survivor’s victory lap.

Relay For Life is a 12-hour, overnight, non-competitive event that involves teams of 10 people who take turns walking, running or strolling around a track. Teams consist of people representing families, friends, corporations and communities.

Cancer survivors in the community are invited to walk the first lap – the survivors’ victory lap.
At dusk, the luminary ceremony takes place, where candles are placed around the track and lit to honour those lost to and touched by cancer.

This year, in more than 100 Ontario communities, an estimated 70,000 Relay For Life participants will help raise more than $16 million to fund leading-edge research into all types of cancer, offer comprehensive and credible information on cancer, risk reduction and treatment and provide support for people living with cancer, family members and friends.

The Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life is celebrating its 10th year in Ontario. Since 1999, the event has raised more than $69 million in the fight against cancer.

Mrs. Fitzgerald will also address the crowd with a speech that is as personal as it is emotional. Her hope is others will draw strength from her words.

“My main message is showing people no matter what the situation, you can get through it. I drew strength from it. I’m a stronger person than I used to be,” she said.

At the time, however, the routine from which every family finds comfort, was momentarily broken when a self-exam raised suspicions for Mrs. Fitzgerald.

A tumour, three centimetres in diametre was detected.

Just four days after her diagnosis, she underwent a mastectomy, followed by six weeks of chemotherapy.

“We chose not to say the ‘C’ word around the girls. I would tell them, ‘Mommy has a lump, it grew and it’s making me sick’.”

Today, she has returned to work with some bounce her step and the resolve to help others.

She plans to become more involved with the cancer society and support groups.

She also had pink bandanas made, bearing inspiring messages, such as Courage, Believe and Strength.

“It wasn’t my time and I’m so thankful for that.”

Excerts from cancer survivor Lori Fitzgerald speech she will give at this year’s Relay for Life:

... How do you explain to your three and five-year-old that mommy has cancer?

We chose to explain to the girls how mommy had a lump that didn’t belong in my body and that it needed to be taken out. We did choose at that time not use the word “cancer” because if I couldn’t understand it how could I expect them to.

The girls decided they wanted to help take care of mommy. Emily, my youngest, thought that she could bring me snacks and my older daughter, Erin, made get well cards and left them on my night stand.

... Yes, cancer sucks, there is no other way to describe it. You can live in denial or face it head on.  
For me, personally, the time had come to face it head on. My girls and husband needed me too much. I was once told by one of my friends, whose husband is a cancer survivor,  to think of chemo as a healing process and enjoy every day.  

Sure, I had good days and bad, but I exercised, ate well and had a sense of humour and enjoyed every minute with the girls. I remember the look on my husband’s face when we were at church before my surgery. He asked me what I was giving up for lent this year and I replied, ‘My breast, of course.’

Has cancer changed my life? Most definitely, in a positive way. It has made me a stronger person who has the will to live until I’m at least 100.

This year’s Newmarket event is June 20 at Pickering College.

Mrs. Fitzgerald’s bandanas are available at Changes and Full Moon Nails on Main Street for $5, with 50 per cent of proceeds going to the Canadian Cancer Society. For more information about this year’s event, call 905-830-0447 or visit cancer.ca/relay