Woman with genetic predisposition to cancer passes away
Posted January 16, 2017 1:54 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
There are some people you interview that leave a lasting impression. Sabrina Fuoco-Dunn was one of those people.
I had the honour of interviewing Sabrina back in October. She was a charismatic, witty and positive person. She welcomed us, cameraman Tony and I, into her home, to share her story.
Sabrina’s “career with cancer” (that’s what she liked to call it) started when she was 3-years-old.
She had it again at the age of 8, 22, 29, and 31.
You are probably wondering how someone could get cancer so many times. Dunn had what’s called Li-Fraumeni Syndrome.
She was genetically prone to getting all types of cancer. Her most recent bout with the disease was metastatic osteosarcoma and spoke about it candidly in her blog “Cancer Girl Smile.”
I may have only met her one time and exchanged a few texts back a forth, but I could tell that she was truly a remarkable person with a great sense of humour.
Yesterday, I received an email from one of her friends letting me know that Sabrina passed away on January 10, 2017.
Sabrina’s husband posted her last message on her blog. Read it below.
The End
posted in Cancer Journey
I wish I could tell you a happy ending. An ending to a fairytale, where the beautiful princess finally defeats the terrible monster and lives happily ever after with her prince.
I wish her prince could have done more, helped, done something to stop the monster. Instead, he could only stand by quietly, impotent and watch as the monster devoured her.
I wish, perhaps selfishly, that the story didn’t end. That the battle continued, even if there was never to be a happy ending. To at least have more years, more months, a few more days, a couple more minutes, the seconds to hear, “I love you” from her lips, just one more time.
Unfortunately, our story is over, the monster has won. It’s the same sad ending that has happened before, is happening now, and will continue to happen. Someday, the monster might be defeated. Someday, everyone might get a happy ending. But, for now it seems sad that our parents generation will die from it. It’s gut wrenching and depressing that our generation will succumb to it. It’s unthinkably devastating that our children will be consumed by this monster called cancer.
She fought so hard, for so long and even though her monster eventually won, she did not go easily. Cancer dragged her down kicking and screaming. She did not go quietly. She always fought to win.
We cannot give in, we can’t surrender. Fight the monster and eventually we’ll get our lives back, eventually we’ll all get happy endings.
Sabrina died January 10th 2017.
She will smile no more.
Visitation details:
Visitation Friday January 13th between 4pm-8pm at Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home, funeral home entrance at 211 Langstaff Rd East.
Funeral details:
Funeral to be held Saturday January 14th at 9:30am at Holy Cross Funeral Home chapel, 211 Langstaff Rd East (same location as visitation).
Donations to be made in memory of our Sabrina to the Terry Fox Foundation in lieu of flowers.
The husband.
On behalf of the CityNews crew I would like to send my deepest condolences to the Fuoco-Dunn family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
