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“I found a lump in my breast.” The voice was Othalie Graham’s 67-year-old mother, Marjorie. It was late 2019, and she was calling her daughter at her home in Philadelphia where Othalie, an internationally acclaimed opera singer and Brampton native, was on a month-long break between productions of MacBeth. Marjorie told her not to worry – she had scheduled a mammogram and it was likely nothing. Unfortunately, Othalie knew better.
“When she described to me what she was seeing and experiencing, I just knew,” said Othalie. “My husband and I hopped in our truck in the USA and headed across the border to Brampton so that I could be there with her when she received her diagnosis.”
Even though they live hundreds of miles apart, the mother and daughter are extremely close. Every morning they share coffee together over FaceTime, and often chat several times a day. At one time, Marjorie used to travel with Othalie to all her opera performances and stand in the wings off stage. That meant a lot to Othalie, who lost her father when he was just 48 years of age to lymphoma, just before she left to study opera in Philadelphia in 1998.
“Having experienced the devastating loss of my father to cancer 21 years earlier, I couldn’t believe this was happening again. It was absolute torture just thinking about it.”
Othalie said she began to feel a heavy weight lift from her heart when she and Marjorie met with William Osler Health System (Osler) oncologist Dr. William Raskin, who shared her mom’s diagnosis with them: Stage 2 (early stage) breast cancer.
“I immediately trusted him,” said Othalie. “Dr. Raskin was so patient, caring and understanding. He touched my mom’s arm as he was talking to her and was so reassuring. That really meant a lot, particularly at the start of her cancer journey.”
Dr. Raskin explained that Marjorie’s proposed treatment plan would involve six rounds of chemotherapy and a partial mastectomy, followed by radiation and 36 weeks of a maintenance treatment. Othalie was committed to being with her mom every step of the way, even if it meant cancelling scheduled operatic performances. Thankfully, that wasn’t necessary.
“Although the timing of chemotherapy is quite rigid, we made every effort, where possible, to tailor Marjorie’s treatments around her daughter’s travel schedule, because she was such a strong advocate and supporter for her mom,” said Dr. Raskin. “That supportive presence is important for cancer patients at any age, but particularly so for older people going through the treatment process.”
Othalie usually arrived in town a couple of days before Marjorie’s chemotherapy treatments at Brampton Civic Hospital’s Oncology Clinic. It was here that Othalie marvelled at the empathy, compassion and caring touch of the entire care team.
“As I sat with mom in the clinic every day, I noticed so many patients were there alone while receiving their chemotherapy treatments,” said Othalie. “While the nurses all worked hard, I observed that they always made a special point of spending time with patients who were on their own, to ensure they felt supported. These nurses are saving lives and were emotionally there for every one of their patients. They were simply amazing.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March 2020, Othalie managed to catch the last plane out of Philadelphia to Toronto. She was the only passenger on board. With all her operatic performances cancelled indefinitely, she was able to remain in Brampton on a longer-term basis and accompany and support her mom through the last stage of the rigorous treatment plan – radiation – at a neighbouring community hospital.
Once Marjorie’s full cancer treatment regimen was completed, she was referred to Osler’s Survivorship Clinic.
“Osler’s Survivorship Clinic focuses on recovery and monitoring for any signs of cancer recurrence,” said Dr. Raskin. “Patients are seen by an oncologist in the clinic every six months to a year for three to five years, depending on their cancer diagnosis and risk level. Data is increasingly showing that this level of care following completion of treatment is leading to better outcomes.”
Marjorie’s final appointment in the clinic will be in August 2024.
“For me, it’s a full circle moment seeing Marjorie in the clinic years after her initial diagnosis and doing so well,” said Dr. Raskin. “That’s one of the most rewarding aspects of what we do.”
In recent years, Osler has built up its cancer care services to include rapid cancer diagnostic programs (breast, colon, lung and esophageal cancers), advanced surgical techniques, innovative immunotherapy, and access to global clinical trials for new anticancer treatments.
With the number of cancer cases in communities served by Osler expected to double by 2038, Osler is working on plans for a comprehensive Cancer Care Centre at Brampton Civic Hospital that will bring new and expanded cancer services for patients like Marjorie – including radiation therapy – closer to home.
Marjorie is now 72 years of age and Othalie says she is doing great.
“I can’t say enough about Dr. Raskin and the entire Oncology Clinic team. They were simply incredible with my mom and really made this whole journey one of hope and positivity.”
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