A Huge Christmas Gift

With the Holiday Season now in full swing… I need to take a moment and reflect on what this year has brought me. It’s been the most challenging year of my life! In January I survived emergency brain surgery to decompress a nerve in my brain that had been causing me unbearable pain for years. Then 6 months to the day of that surgery – I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. I was immediately swept up in a hurricane that took me to numerous surgical consults, 7 biopsies, a double mastectomy and weeks of recovery. When I say it out loud – it just doesn’t seem real. How can two life treating events hit me and my family 6 months apart!

But with all the difficulty I’ve faced this year, it has equally shown me just how loved and supported we are. Prayers were made on my behalf all over the world and I was surrounded by friends and family that got me through the most difficult weeks post op. I will never be able to express just how grateful I truly am for everyone’s support!!

This Christmas has already proven to bring some huge gifts our way. I am now officially Cancer Free (although I’m still terrified to say those words out loud), and I will partake in a 5 year prevention plan, with a return to work in February.

And this morning I woke up to another amazing Holiday surprise, which has moved me to the core!!! A $10,000.00 donation was given on behalf of our family to Inspire Health. The money was raised at an auction with the Hamilton Tigercats during Grey Cup week, where my husband was there as a Ticat Alumni. Take a look at our posts on Instagram below.

It’s all the big and small miracles throughout this year that I need to give thanks for! I survived breast cancer and have the chance to grow old with Jamall and watch our kids grow up! There’s no bigger gift I could have gotten this year!

I wish each and every one of you the Happiest of Holidays, with all the Health and Joy in 2022.

REPOST FROM ELNA’S INSTAGRAM: My cancer journey has been tough, traumatizing and scarring (physically and mentally), but there have also been moments of overwhelming love and support. Please read my husband’s post below for the details – but I am moved beyond words to hear that a $10,000.00 donation was made in our honor to @inspirehealthbc through a live auction my husband attended with the @hamiltontigercats at the Grey Cup. This reminds me of how grateful and blessed we are to have such an amazing community of family and friends around us! As I turn the chapter to being a cancer survivor – I look forward to being a life long supporter and advocate of breast cancer warriors… And I’m so happy to know that this donation will help so many more that are faced with battling cancer. THANK YOU!! Scott Mitchell, Bob Young, Hamilton Tigercats, Cleareyes collective and my husband Jamall Johnson for making this all possible! It means the world ❤️

REPOST from my husband @jamalldjohnson : Had the pleasure of attending the Mitchell Grey Cup Brunch with teammates and @hamiltontigercats supporters. We shared stories, smiles, laughs, and even some tears. This live painting by @cleareyescollective was done during the event, then bid on in a silent auction. Proceeds from $10,000 winning bid will be donated to @inspirehealthbc. InspireHealth provides programs and services to enhance quality of life, health, and well-being of people living with cancer and their families. The care and support available at InspireHealth has been a blessing in our lives through my wife’s cancer journey and we’re forever grateful for it. Thanks Scott Mitchell and family, Bob Young, and everyone in attendance for a great brunch as well as the amazing charitable contribution to @inspirehealthbc