Cancer survivor triumphs at Carry the Torch walk

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - All money raised by the walk goes to the Community Cancer Network which provides non-medical support to local cancer patients.

"It changes your perspective on life. I'm just happy to be here today," cancer survivor Phalon Ervin said about being diagnosed with cancer.

Walking in the second-annual Carry the Torch Walk was an opportunity cancer survivor Phalon Ervin didn't think she would get after being diagnosed with stage four rectal cancer last year.

"It was definitely a shock but you know it's something that happened and I had to deal with it and I'm a single mom so I had to live not only for myself but for my son as well," Ervin said.

At the first ever Carry the Torch walk last year, Ervin had to be pushed around in a wheel chair and wasn't feeling well, but this year, it was a different story.

 "I'm happy I can be here with my family and friends and actually walk this time. If I could run, I'd probably run but I have on flats, not gym shoes," Ervin said about the walk.

Community Cancer Network Chairperson Dr. Wael Harb said CCN has helped more than 1,000 patients in the past five years.

Harb said CCN helps cancer patients with any non-medical service such as money for gas, transportation, groceries, and other necessities.

Harb said when a person is diagnosed with cancer, they are faced with many other problems as well.

"They lose their job, they find their financial ability has become very limited," Harb said. "It's very stressful on the person both from the medical standpoint, physical standpoint, financially emotionally and they need all the support they can get."

"Having that burden taken off that I could feed my son through help," Ervin said about CCN. "Get gas cards, you know, get gift certificates to the grocery story. That was really a help."

Ervin said finding out she had cancer at such a young age was a shock, but now she's full of life and said she wants everyone to know you can never give up.

"There's definitely a light at the end. It might be dim but there is so, the reason that I dress like this, I know I might look crazy, but I just want to show people how happy I am and I'm happy that I made it through and I'm on a journey and I don't know what the journey is or how it's going to end but I'm going to ride it all the way out."