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From 500 km to 5: Going the distance for Mom

Eva Cucinelli's Story

Montreal, Quebec
May 6, 2015

Eva Cucinelli knew something was wrong when she couldn't keep up with her travelling companions while visiting Boston. In the emergency room stateside with intense abdominal pains, she had bloodwork, an ultrasound and CT scan. At home, the gynecological oncology team at the Royal Victoria Hospital sprung to action, seeing that she had emergency surgery within hours.

Eva and her family hadn’t heard about ovarian cancer prior to her diagnosis. To ensure more women know about the disease, she and her daughter volunteer at awareness kiosks and the Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope. Celebrating her four year anniversary as a survivor in 2015, Eva continues to participate in the Walk.

In 2013, Eva’s daughter Giuliana was living in Boston when she realized Walk day was fast approaching.

My mom was two years out from treatment at the time. Since I'd moved to Boston, Mom had told me not to worry about making a trip back for the Walk," recounts Giuliana. "But I really wanted to be there for her - I couldn't miss it."

She hurried to book the next flight 500 km home to Montreal to walk five precious kilometers alongside her mom. What a great surprise for Eva to see her daughter, fresh off the plane with nothing but her backpack in hand.

Eva CucinelliEva Cucinelli (R), her husband Mario and their daughter Giuliana, Walk Day 2014

We started on this journey together and walking with her and my husband Mario by my side means everything to me" says Eva. "Giuliana and I have always been extremely close, but my diagnosis brought us even closer together. She is my rock."

"Attending the Walk is like visiting with an extended family," adds Giuliana. "We walk because women everywhere need to know more about the disease and we need to raise money for detection."