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Saskatoon mother hopes cancer story leads to more COVID-19 vaccinations

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SASKATOON -

A Saskatoon mother going through chemotherapy hopes her story will help everyone work together to end the COVID-19 pandemic sooner than later.

Kerri Gavin, 51, was diagnosed with breast cancer just before the pandemic started.

She had two surgeries and chemotherapy, but then then doctors said the cancer wasn’t going away.

“To find out that I had to start treatment all over again was almost debilitating,” she told CTV News.

More chemo treatments were planned - but this time with pandemic restrictions.

“When my husband dropped me off at the last treatment, he basically had to push me out of the car because I was ready to give up. Walking through doors alone, they give you your chair number and you walk to that number alone. It’s just very alone and very sad,” Gavin said.

Her family wanted to be by her side every step of the way to offer emotional support.

“Simple things we take for granted like being able to give her a hug or rub her swollen feet or get her ice chips because she gets sores from the treatment in her mouth,” her brother Mike Gavin said.

“It’s frustrating knowing that she has to go by herself because. I feel us and everyone in our family have done our part by getting double vaccinated,” daughter Lexi Brown told CTV News.

This family hopes their story will help others realize not getting vaccinated or refusing to follow the safety precautions affects many people in many ways.

Gavin’s eldest daughter, Jordana Muller, who a mother herself, says Kerri stays positive even under the worst circumstances and is a rock for the family.

“She’s always been there for us, and now we have the opportunity to be there for her and other people are taking it away,” Muller told CTV News while fighting back tears.

Gavin’s youngest daughter is still in high school.

“When I’m at school it’s hard to focus on anything else knowing your mom is in the chemo chair and hearing other kids talk about hating the masks or not wanting to get the vaccine. I’m sitting there, it’s keeping my mom alive you know,” Abby Gavin said.

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