It can be hard coming to terms with the death of a parent at any age. Winnipegger Terry Dokken was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer and passed away this January at the age of 57.
In the time she was sick, Dokken wrote letters to her family members as a keepsake, each one with personal messages.
Dokken’s three daughters said their mother was loving and always there for them, and now her letters are providing comfort as they grieve.
Terry Dokken also had another message to others who could one day face the same cancer.
Eldest daughter Dana Smith said her mother did not want women to stay silent about their health.
"You have to be observant about your own body and talk to your doctor. If there is something you have an issue with, be persistent.”
Reading the letters has been emotional for the daughters, but they said as hard as reading her final words have been, they encourage others to write letters for their loved ones.
"It means a lot. I know for me, I've read it at least half a dozen times. If I'm missing her a lot, I pull it out and read it,” said Dokken’s youngest daughter Crystal Aime.
"I’d say this is the best thing my mom could have done for us, definitely,” said Candice Carriere, Dokken’s middle daughter.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, 100 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014 in Manitoba. Of those, 75 women died.
It said the key to surviving ovarian cancer is with early detection. It recommends women have regular checkups and pelvic exams. And report any symptoms to a doctor.
Ovarian Cancer Canada said those symptoms can include bloating, difficulty eating, or feeling full quickly, pain in the pelvic or abdominal area and frequent or urgent urination.
