Healing while helping
Teen shares her cancer story while helping others
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This article was published 12/08/2014 (3966 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A Morris teen is sharing her experience with cancer in an effort to help others. Although Nadine Mendel herself has not had to battle the disease, it has affected her in deep ways.
The nearly-16-year-old girl is raising money in memory of her dad and her grandmother, both died of cancer.
Along with fundraising events during the past school year, bake sales and a pizza bun sale, Mendel really put herself into the spotlight during the Manitoba Stampede in Morris where she shaved 10 inches of hair as a donation for wigs for children with cancer.
“I was happy and excited for it to come off,” Mendel told The Carillon. “It got me seeing close friends and family and strangers crying. They were so emotional and happy, it made me cry.”
Around $3,000 was collected at the Stampede which brings her total to over $7,000 collected for the Canadian Cancer Society. The determined girl has also canvassed the community. In doing so, she has shared her personal story with countless strangers.
“People were sharing a lot of their stories. Some were in recovery, some recently lost someone to cancer, and some people were recently diagnosed. I’m very thankful for them. I want to say to them, it’s not what I’m doing for them; it’s what they are doing to inspire me. I just want to make life easier.”
Mendel is collecting more donations for the Canadian Cancer Society. She plans to turn the money over next month. Online donations can be made at http://convio.cancer.ca/goto/shavetosavenadine with this account remaining active for a few more weeks.
She believes these events and talking to people about her experience has helped assist her with the healing process of losing two very special people.
“I always knew I wanted to do something. I lost my dad (Andy) when I was so young and I didn’t have any resources. Then it became clear to me. I set a goal and accomplished it. It worked out very well.”