MP Yvonne Jones says standing ovation amid cancer treatments overwhelming, energizing
CBC
Forty years after attending her first Labrador Winter Games as an athlete, Yvonne Jones was once again at the opening ceremonies on Sunday night.
But this time, the Labrador MP was honoured with flowers and a standing ovation from the crowd amid her battle with breast cancer.
"She's a fighter," Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation Chief Eugene Hart told the crowded arena Sunday night.
The standing ovation from the arena with an estimated 1,300 athletes, volunteers and spectators was "pretty overwhelming, but it was pretty energizing for me as well," Jones told CBC on Monday night.
"The fact that they've supported me in this battle with cancer and they've continued to hold me up in their prayers, hold me up in their energy like they did last night in that arena is going to help me beat this and get to the end of it," Jones said. "And for that I'm forever grateful."
Jones had beat breast cancer 12 years ago, but it returned in October, she said. In November, the MP stepped back to focus on her health. Jones said while she is unable to stay for the entire games, she feels stronger having been in Labrador for a few days.
"I'm going to be heading back to St. John's to continue with my medical treatments … and I really appreciate the energy and the support and the prayers that the people of Labrador and the people of Newfoundland have given me," Jones said.
As a 14-year-old in 1983, Jones said it was an experience coming from the village of Mary's Harbour in a Twin Otter to the comparatively large town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, which had a swimming pool and movie theatre.
"You didn't have that interaction with sports meets and communities being able to commute back and forth. So it was very much like a reunion of Labradorians," Jones said.
Jones said her favourite event to watch was the Labrathon, where competitors complete a variety of traditional tasks including snowshoeing, drilling a hole in the ice and starting a fire.
This year's Labrathon is scheduled for March 18 on Terrington Basin.
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