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Weyburn Review, Weyburn, Saskatchewan -- April 7, 2021
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Support of family, friends helps young woman through cancer journey By Greg Nikkel The world was rocked for Sabrina Mainil last July when she got the news that she was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, and then again in October when that diagnosis was upgraded to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The 24-year-old Weyburn woman began chemotherapy on Oct. 28 at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, and in January she had a stem cell transplant to help in her recovery from the blood cancer. A major part of her strength and encouragement on her cancer journey has been the love and support of her family and friends, including a Facebook page for her supporters, called the “Sab Squad”. When she began having “weird symptoms” like rashes and bloating, her initial thoughts were she had developed an intolerance to gluten, so she cut that down in her diet. It helped for a little while, but the symptoms came back, and once she was able to be tested, she received the news on July 2 that she had chronic myeloid leukemia. Sabrina was put on medication, taking a pill once a day, but by October she still wasn’t feeling all that healthy. She had some blood work done, and the numbers were concerning, so her doctors had her take a bone marrow biopsy, and the verdict came back that she had ALL. Sabrina was admitted to the hospital right away, and she began a 50-day stay at the RUH to take chemotherapy. She was able to have a three-week break in December over the Christmas-New Year’s holidays, and on Jan. 7 she was readmitted so she could receive her stem cell transplant, from her sister Ambria. “It was a shocker at first to get the news. The first couple of weeks it was pretty tough on whole family,” said her mom, Deana, adding she reached the point where she realized, “It’s God’s plan, it’s in God’s hands, and in the doctors’ hands, and if you don’t leave it that way, you’d kill yourself with worry. We just have complete faith, and still do, in her health care team.” As a stem cell transplant was deemed to be the best course of treatment for her leukemia, Sabrina’s siblings had their blood tested to see if there was a bone mar-
row match. Her brothers, Josh and Davin, both had a 50-per-cent match, while Ambria had a 100-per-cent match, making her the ideal donor of stem cells. “It was a pretty good day to hear about my sister being a match,” said Sabrina. Ambria was really happy to learn that her stem cells were a perfect match. “It was the best phone call I got in my life, because I knew my brothers were both halfmatches, so I was really happy when they called me. Me and my dad were both tearing up, it was just the best news ever,” she said. She noted it was not an invasive procedure, as they took blood out of one arm, separated out the stem cells and returned the blood in her other arm. The only disruption for her was to stop breast-feeding her baby, Laurel, who was seven months old at that point. “It was really special,” said Ambria. “I felt really blessed that I could donate my stem cells.” Sabrina was in hospital for 30 days after the transplant and was released on Feb. 8, but had to go back in for a week after she had a fever and a rash. As a follow up on her stem cell transplant, she has to be closely monitored for a 100-day period afterward for the possibility of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which includes visits to the hospital three times a week for four to five hours for ongoing treatment. The visits include an assessment by a nurse, and consultation with her hematologist and a pharmacist followed by IV supplements according to her blood work results. The GVHD disease can occur in recipients of stem cell transplants, as the host body might reject or react to the transplanted cells. As of April 7, Sabrina is 83 days into the process, but she noted the monitoring will still continue after the 100 days is finished. A big part of her support comes from the “Sab Squad” Facebook page, and it began from a conversation Sabrina had with Ambria as many family members and friends kept asking for updates about how Sabrina was doing, especially when she was in the hospital for chemotherapy. During her hospital stay, Ambria or Sabrina posted one photo a day with a brief comment about how she was doing. “So now there’s people
I don’t even know following me. It’s kind of funny, because the nurses and people at the hospital found my page somehow and they are keeping tabs on me too, which is kind of cute,” said Sabrina. “So much support came from it, it’s really an awesome thing.” She added she feels very blessed to have the level of support she has, because many others who are battling cancer don’t have that. “It’s just been amazing, the amount of people who just tell you that they’re thinking of you, and all the comments they make on the page. It definitely helps keep you positive when you’re surrounded by so much love all the time,” said Sabrina. Another major part of her support has been the presence of her mom or her sister almost every day she’s been in hospital, or even while she’s resting and recovering at her condo. The separation from her family has been difficult, but they’ve done things to let her know she’s close in their thoughts, such as a surprise for her 24th birthday in January. As her window faces the parking lot, several family members gathered there and face-timed with her while holding up signs and waving at her, wishing her a happy birthday. Asked how COVID has impacted her, Sabrina said in some ways COVID restrictions have both made it hard for her and been a blessing to her. “I can’t get COVID or it would kill me, basically, so that part of it’s not good,” said Sabrina, adding the blessing is that COVID restrictions require everyone to sanitize their hands and wear masks everywhere, which is good for her. The whole cancer journey has brought her really close to Ambria, as she lived with her for the past two years until Sabrina got her own condo in Saskatoon. As a teacher, Ambria was on maternity leave to have her daughter Laurel, and the timing was actually a good thing as she was able to be with Sabrina almost every day. She wouldn’t have been able to do that if she was still in the classroom. “It’s really hard for my brothers and their wives not to be able to see her. I just feel so lucky I can be beside her and do whatever I can to be with her. She’s just the
most positive inspiring person, she’s just awesome,” said Ambria, adding while she’s older, she considers Sabrina to be more mature in many ways. “When she had to lose all her hair, I didn’t even think twice about it. I said I would shave my head with her, and we faced each other as two nurses shaved our heads at the same time,” said Ambria. Her dad, Dale, hasn’t been able to spend much time with her, which has been hard on him, but Deana noted they face-time every evening together. He has been able to help her out by setting up her condo along with Ambria, buying groceries for Sabrina and making sure there is a lunch or supper ready on a day when Sabrina has to be at the hospital for her outpatient treatments.
Mainil girls mark Christmas Eve
Sabrina Mainil, centre, was comfy and cozy in her jammies on Christmas Eve, with her sister, Ambria (left) and her mom, Deana. Ambria was a full match, and was able to donate stem cells to Sabrina for a transplant as a way to help Sabrina be treated for her form of leukemia.
Resting and recovering from the transplant
Photo submitted by Deana Mainil
Photo submitted by Deana Mainil
Sabrina Mainil was relaxed and resting in this photo taken 42 days after her stem cell transplant, on Feb. 25. She is being closely monitored for a 100-day period after the transplant to ensure the procedure will take properly and help her heal of her leukemia. As of today, April 7, she is 83 days past her transplant, well on her way.
A surprise COVID birthday celebration
Sabrina Mainil’s family surprised her with a 24th birthday celebration on Jan. 16, as her window faced this parking lot, and they gathered with signs and facetimed with her on her cell as she looked down on them. From left are Lexie, Josh, baby Elias, Kiteen, Davin and Violet Mainil. Photo submitted by Deana Mainil
The love and support of friends and family
Photo submitted by Deana Mainil
Sabrina Mainil shows off her wall of love and support, with pictures and messages of encouragement from her many friends and family, on display in her hospital room at the Royal University Hospital. These messages, along with the messages through social media and the Sab Squad Facebook page, have greatly helped give her strength and encouragement as she has fought the leukemia.
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Weyburn Review, Weyburn, Saskatchewan -- April 7, 2021
Dealing their 1,000th game
Photo -- Submitted
Royce and Doris Hallberg played their 1,000th game to keep themselves entertained this winter during the COVID-19 restrictions. This was quite an accomplishment for the two card players.
Brad Wall, W. Brett Wilson, Rex Murphy to highlight Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show By Brian Zinchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter It’s just two months out, but the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show is still a go, despite concerns about the ongoing pandemic. The show, held every second year in Weyburn, may look different, but the organizers are doing their best to find a way to make it happen June 2-3, preceded by an exhibitors golf tournament on June 1. Show chair Dan Cugnet said on March 30, “We’re meeting every week. We’ve submitted things to the city and to the provincial government. “We’ve got Brett Wilson and Brad Wall coming to speak on the Wednesday, the day of the awards. We’ve got Rex Murphy coming to speak on Thursday. These are all confirmed.” Two years ago, Rex Murphy spoke about how the oilpatch helped save the people of Newfoundland when that province was laid low by the collapse of the cod fishery. He also discussed the absolute necessity of the energy
sector in our lives and nation. “Energy is thee essential commodity of all 21st century life,” he said at the time. The YouTube video of that speech has since been viewed 62,500 times. The Southeast Saskatchewan Oilman award was announced on March 29, with Derrick Big Eagle receiving the honour. Southeast Saskatchewan Legends awards will go to Vi Day, Ken Lee, Norm “Pierre” Mondor, Ray Frehlick and Ron Carson. The Saskatchewan Oilman of the Year and Saskatchewan Oil Patch Hall of Fame inductees have not yet been announced, as those awards are chosen by a separate board. They are still working on dealing with the realities of the pandemic, adapting as required. “We’re going to have everybody that’s attending pre-registered, so it’s not going to be people showing up at the gate,” Cugnet said. “Plans are currently fluid right now,” he said, as they adapt to what public health regulations will allow.
Much of this depends on optimism for success in Saskatchewan’s battle against the COVID-19 pandemic and an easing of public health restrictions. The provincial government has been working on widespread vaccination of the adult population, with Premier Scott Moe noting during the regular COVID-19 briefing on March 30 that in the next few weeks, Saskatchewan is expecting as many vaccine doses as has been received to date, and more to come. Moe said we are in the “final weeks of this pandemic,” and in the “final steps of the race.” At that same press conference, Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said, “Over the next six to eight weeks, the bulk of the population, maybe even 40 and older, especially people with underlying risk factors, will have been vaccinated with at least one dose, and we will be in a very different place in six to eight weeks, but we really need to stay the course for those six to eight weeks.”
Weyburn area groups receive charitable gaming grants Groups and organizations in the province that raise funds through charitable gaming activities are receiving approximately $1.1 million in charitable gaming grants. In Weyburn, the groups included the Weyburn Golf Club, which will receive $102.50; the Weyburn and District Junior Hockey Association, which is getting $102.46; the Weyburn Gold Wings Hockey Inc., which will get $816.15; the Weyburn Knights of Columbus, which is getting $825.96; the Weyburn Senior Beavers Baseball Club, $884.63; and the Weyburn Wheatland Senior Centre, which is re-
ceiving $172.75. The Gladmar Recreation Board will receive $913.98, and the Midale M.O.R.E. 2000 organization will get $401.92. The Pangman Catholic Women’s League will receive $298.50, and the Radville Community Grown Childcare Inc. will get $835. “Charitable gaming grants enhance the fundraising efforts of many volunteer organizations by supporting worthwhile community initiatives in the areas of health care, education and recreation,” Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority Jim Reiter said. “We appreciate
the efforts of volunteers in their communities and are pleased to provide them with this additional funding.” The charitable gaming grant program supports groups and organizations that conduct charitable gaming including licensed bingos, raffles, break-open tickets, Texas Hold ‘em poker and Monte Carlo events. Groups and organizations receive a grant equal to 25 per cent of the net revenues raised from these activities, up to a maximum grant of $100,000 annually. More than 300 groups received grants during the latest quarter ending December 31.
Landfill coupons to be distributed The annual landfill coupon for one free residential drop-off of residential and yard waste will be available in the April 10th edition of Weyburn This Week. The landfill coupons are not for business or commercial use; coupons may be used for a typical residential load in a half-ton truck or small trailer. Loads must be tarped and tires are not accepted. The City is reminding landfill users of the compost pile located at the disposal grounds. Compost waste can be disposed free of charge which includes leaves, grass clippings, garden waste, flowerbed waste and sod. The landfill also has a wood
pile where charges apply for disposal of clean lumber (no paint or varnish), trees (cut into small pieces), stumps and branches. This insert also features City of Weyburn Landfill hours of operation and local recycling locations. Summer hours of operation began on April 1; weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends/ stat holidays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (It will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.) You can find more landfill information on the City of Weyburn Waste Disposal Ground website. The City of Weyburn Landfill is located south of Weyburn off Highway 35 on 22nd Avenue, near the Weyburn Livestock
Exchange. Garbage pickup in Weyburn returned to weekly pickup this week, while curbside recycling pickup remains at every second week. Due to the Good Friday and Easter Monday holidays, changes to regular scheduling will take place the week of April 5-9: • Area 2 and 3 will have garbage pickup on April 6 • Area 4 and 5 will have garbage pickup on April 7 • Area 1 pickup will remain on April 8 To keep track of your garbage pickup schedule, download or print the 2021 refuse calendar or visit the City of Weyburn garbage and recycling website.