The Pickering family in Cochrane is once again asking for support, hopes, and prayers from the community as they enter a new chapter in their daughter Paige Pickering’s battle with cancer.
Mother of Paige, Lorraine Pickering, said although their battle first started 10 years ago, her story started when she was first born.
“Paige was born with the umbilical cord around her neck five times, and because she had a lack of oxygen at birth, she has brain damage, and she also has some cerebral palsy that’s mild, scoliosis, hearing impaired, and epilepsy,” Lorraine said. “When we brought her home, we just loved her and she did all the things that they said she wasn’t going to do when she was born.”
Defying all odds, Paige went on to become a Cochrane High School honour roll student and was also part of the Cobras’ perennially successful track and field team.
One day prior to moving from Ontario to Alberta in 2007, Paige suffered three grand mal seizures, which led to doctors discovering her first brain tumor.
Later on in 2010, after monitoring Paige’s brain tumor, Lorraine said it was successfully removed.
But not long later, the family discovered her troubles were not yet behind them.
“In November of 2011, she wasn’t feeling well,” Lorraine said. “She was home all week. She had just got home from her Make-a-Wish the month prior and we took her to the hospital . . . and through some testing, they found that she had a very large tumor on her ovary.”
Pickering said Paige underwent an emergency surgery to remove a seven-pound tumor from her ovary and five-and-a-half litres of fluid in her body that was located in her body cavity, protecting her other organs.
After undergoing surgery, Paige did four rounds of chemotherapy. The treatment was successful and her cancer went into remission in 2012.
It was only until very recently that the Pickerings were faced with their next battle in their daughter’s life.
“On the 30th of May, Paige woke up from a very sleepy early morning, she was throwing up, and she wasn’t responding properly,” Lorraine said.
Paige was taken to the Foothills Hospital in Calgary, where her mother said doctors made a shocking discovery.
“They had found another brain tumor in the exact same place as the first brain tumor,” she said. “A week later, she had the tumor removed, so that was June 8, and they [removed] 70 per cent of the tumor.
“The rest of it was very close to major veins and blood vessels running through the vein, so they didn’t want to tamper with that, because that could make her have a very serious stroke and paralysis.”
Just prior to speaking with The Eagle about the situation, Pickering said the family received more unfortunate news when receiving Paige’s pathology results.
“We got a pathology [test] pack two days ago, and it is glioblastoma, which is probably the worst-case scenario,” Lorraine explained. “So, she’s going to be doing radiation and chemotherapy.
“Although we are waiting for more probably to come back in the coming weeks, this type of tumor is not curable.”
With Paige facing yet another very difficult health battle at the moment, Pickering said her daughter continues to fight and will continue to overcome this.
Despite Paige being 28 years old, Pickering said Paige is roughly 12 years old cognitively, yet it does not stop her from having the best possible outlook on life with the people around her.
“And everybody that meets her thinks she’s the sweetest thing,” Lorraine said. “I don’t think she has the ability to be negative, so that’s really good.”
Paige’s dad, Adam, said throughout their struggles, the Cochrane community has come out and shown the family support through fundraisers by businesses in the community, donations, and support from members of the community, and even articles by founder of The Eagle, Jack Tennant.
“I’ve never seen anything like it, and we definitely feel like we need the support of the community again,” Adam said. “Whether it’s just thoughts, prayers, or well-wishes, we feel a strong connection to the community and feel [that] it’s important to share Paige’s battle again.”
Both parents said support comes in many forms in Cochrane, and they believe the community can help support them however they can.
As evidence of that, an initiative started by a client from Pickering’s business she runs from home recently started a GoFundMe to support Paige.
Paige’s parents are also asking the community for help in helping connect Paige with Canadian superstar Avril Lavigne. From Paige’s Make-a-Wish prior to being diagnosed to ovarian cancer to meeting her once more at the JUNO Awards earlier this year, she has always looked up to the music artist since she was a young girl.
“So, if anybody knows how to get a hold of Avril Lavigne, let us know because we’re trying every which way we can reach out,” Lorraine said. “We know that support from her, even a well wish would make all the difference to Paige and give her enough strength to fight what we gotta fight now.”
With a difficult road ahead for their entire family, Adam and Lorraine said their entire family will continue to support Paige and they wish to extend their deepest thanks to the community. To donate to Paige’s GoFundMe, please visit https://gofund.me/a0be94fa.
“Thank you and please help, and then it will come full-circle,” Lorraine said. “Paige is very special and she’s very strong, and like my husband always says – look for the positive in everything, and we’re the toughest five that ever fought, and here we go again.”
