With one visit to the doctor, your entire life can change.

Portage la Prairie resident Jane Tully experienced just that when she was diagnosed with cancer in the early 1990s. As you can imagine, the news came as quite a shock, because she knew it was going to be a long battle that could threaten her life.

Thankfully, Tully won that battle and has now been 27 years cancer free. She walks in the Central Plains Challenge Walk every year because she knows how much support those coping with cancer need, having been through it herself.

"When they tell you right off the line that you have cancer your mind is immediately overwhelmed with what they're telling you. What now? What do I do?" Tully recalls. "Services back then weren't that great either, and I'm sure that people still feel that same isolation or fear when they're handed that diagnosis today ... It can be really overwhelming."

"But I am one of the fortunate people that have never had a recurrence and to have 27 years clean, free and healthy is nothing short of amazing. Once you start getting answers and realizing that this isn't the end of everything, there is a ray of sunshine and so much care, and concern."

Jane Tully

Portage la Prairie didn't have the services they do now like Central Plains Cancer Services and even a Cancer Treatment Centre at the Portage Hospital. Tully says it was quite a struggle heading back and forth to Winnipeg in search of answers or support.

"To have a focal point in Portage where we have an office where there are people who can help walk you through that process, help you make those contacts, help you with transportation, prosthetics, head coverings, and teaching and understanding what's going on is wonderful."

She walks every year to make sure people battling cancer continue to get the support they need. She says there are all types of people that take part in the Challenge Walk like survivors, people who are just diagnosed and struggling to get started, people celebrating good health, and there are people that are celebrating people that have walked the walk.

"I see how people walk a walk from being overwhelmed and afraid to meeting it head on knowing they have options and support, and that's wonderful. The things that get those things in place, and keep them there, are research, community support, funding from all levels. All those things are important, especially the people that devote their whole lives to providing care. The doctors, and nurses, and front-line people out there that take you and carry you through that process."

"There is also a lot of sadness because there are a lot of people we haven't got with us today because they succumbed to the illness," adds Tully. "So I stay apart of it because I can. I walk a healthy life today, I'm cancer free and forever grateful that I am. If there's something I've done or something I can do to help someone else walk through it, or get support than we just can't do enough."

The Central Plains Challenge Walk celebrates its 10th year pounding the pavement in Portage la Prairie to benefit cancer services in the region. It takes place at Island Park on Saturday.