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Making the choice to smile

Glenda Standeven and her husband Rick to talk at Cranbrook event about their experience dealing with their respective bouts of cancer.

On April 16, the Canadian Cancer Society will bring in Glenda Standeven and her husband Rick to talk about their experience dealing with their respective bouts of cancer.

Glenda is a speaker, author, and cancer survivor. She lost her entire right leg and hip to bone cancer in 1988. Her husband Rick was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011.

Glenda will speak at the Heritage Inn at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16. The event falls on the same evening as the Prostate Cancer Support Group's regular meeting, so the group has advised that the regular meeting will shift times so everyone can attend the presentation.

After Rick was diagnosed with an aggressive prostate cancer in December 2011, he underwent a radical nerve sparing prostatectomy surgery in May 2012.

"When Rick was first diagnosed we found the amount of information out there to be overwhelming and finding the answers to what we really needed to know were intimidating to say the least," Glenda said.

Rick decided that he wanted to have the process and journey of dealing with the cancer told by his wife from her point of view.

The book that came out of it, "What Men Won't Talk About... And Women Need to Know" will be launched at the speaking event.

Rick wanted men and women to recognize the early signs of prostate cancer and also the reality of treatment options and so encouraged his wife to write the book.

Glenda will also be promoting her other book, "I Am Choosing To Smile".

Glenda said she believes in choosing to smile even when things get tough.

"What more could a person ask for in their lives than to offer encouragement to others who are facing tough times?" she said.

Copies of both books will be available at the speaking event and 20 per cent from the sales of the books will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society.

The event is free, but seating is limited, so contact Sarah at 250-426-8916 or email staylor@bc.cancer.ca to reserve a spot.

For more information or to contact Glenda, visit her website www.iamchoosingtosmile.com.