My Story -
This is a letter written to anyone who has someone going through a journey themselves or supporting someone going through it. My partner had been diagnosed with cancer almost a year ago, and I wish this resource was the first call. I truly wish I had known about it from day one. Finding CCRAN earlier would have changed so much about how supported, informed, and steady I felt as a partner of a person going through cancer.
I am incredibly thankful for the care, compassion, and dedication of the entire CCRAN organization. This community understands that cancer affects not just the patient, but the people who love and support them every single day. That recognition matters more than I can express.
Filomena - the head of this organization truly cares and shows up full heart, and attention - in this journey - is incredibly rare. She understands not only the medical landscape, but the emotional weight that caregivers carry—often quietly and constantly. Her commitment to every person she supports is remarkable, and that care extends to her entire team, who are genuinely kind, thoughtful, and responsive.
What made CCRAN especially meaningful for me was how personal the support felt. Filomena made herself available to join doctor’s appointments virtually, helped me review and understand scans I didn’t yet know how to interpret, and took the time to explain each step clearly and calmly. That guidance eased so much of the anxiety I carried as the person trying to stay strong, ask the right questions, and hold everything together. There are many steps in this process—and having someone knowledgeable and steady beside you as a caregiver is invaluable.
I am deeply grateful for the way she supported my partner individually, while also recognizing and supporting me in my role as a caregiver. Her guidance helped me feel less alone and more capable during moments that felt overwhelming. I honestly don’t know how I would have navigated this journey without her.
Filomena is incredibly well connected and truly on the pulse—working closely with doctors and staying in direct contact with specialists at Sunnybrook. CCRAN reaches wide and far, offering not just information, but reassurance, advocacy, and genuine human connection.
As a partner, I can say without hesitation that this kind of support is invaluable. I am proud to be an ongoing supporter of CCRAN and deeply grateful for the work they do every day. What they offer truly changes lives—both for those facing cancer and for the people standing beside them.
We truly are grateful to know and be apart of this organization and cant thank Filomena and the team at CCRAN enough for their continued support.
My Partners Story :
I was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer. From that moment, everything felt dire. We panicked. It honestly felt like a death sentence. The fear was immediate and consuming, and the future looked frighteningly narrow.
From the beginning, the extent of the disease in my liver was severe and involved the hepatic artery. Because of this, I was considered unresectable, and surgery was not a meaningful option at that time. The plan presented early on was ongoing systemic chemotherapy, and the fear was overwhelming.
Months into treatment, we were introduced to CCRAN, and that changed everything. CCRAN helped me trust my oncologist. Through Filomena’s long-standing professional relationships, she connected me with a highly respected integrative naturopathic doctor. That connection mattered. It allowed me to fully trust the quality of that care and commit to being guided through it alongside chemotherapy, rather than questioning every step.
Filomena’s relationships with my oncology team were equally meaningful. She joined Clair and me in critical appointments and calls with my oncologists and surgeons. The respect in the room was unmistakable — evident in the openness of the conversations and the ease and smiles that came with her presence. It was clear how valued and trusted she is, and having her there changed how supported and confident we felt during pivotal moments.
From the moment we connected, the CCRAN team brought clarity, steadiness, and direction. They did not overwhelm me with every possible option all at once. Instead, CCRAN helped me understand that decisions would unfold in real time. Liver resection, HAIP surgery, or other possibilities might emerge or fall away as new information came in. CCRAN held those possibilities quietly in the background, presenting what I needed to know only when it was relevant. That approach allowed me to stay grounded and focus on getting through treatment.
One of the most significant options I was introduced to was HAIP, the hepatic artery infusion pump. I did not know this existed until CCRAN informed me about the program and supported me through the eligibility process. HAIP is a surgical, liver-directed chemotherapy that delivers treatment directly into the hepatic artery, allowing much higher concentrations of chemotherapy to reach the liver while largely sparing the rest of the body from systemic exposure.
With CCRAN holding the broader landscape, my role became clear. My job was to get myself to chemotherapy, endure it, and recover as well as I could. To keep my spirits up, stay emotionally grounded, lean on my family and friends, eat, sleep, and focus on the basics. CCRAN allowed me to trust that, if and when new options became available, they would be brought forward at the right time.
I am now within 1 millimetre of being considered for liver resection, with an MRI booked to determine next steps. It feels like a cliffhanger moment. If liver resection is not an option, HAIP remains a strong second option.
For the first time since my diagnosis, this feels like my best chance at living a full life, and possibly even a life with no evidence of disease.
There is no doubt in my mind that CCRAN played a critical role in getting me here. By supporting Clair, my family, and me as a team, helping us stay focused, and holding the larger picture so I did not have to, CCRAN helped transform fear into focus and possibility.
To anyone newly diagnosed, please know that you are not alone. Options may exist even when they are not initially visible. There is a community that can hold you and support you in ways that truly make a difference. Never give up. Do your best to stay grounded and hopeful, even when the path feels uncertain.
RESOURCES
Link to resource : https://www.ccran.org/
Our Story : https://www.ccran.org/patient-testimonials
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