Cheryl Mauthe lies on her couch in pain one day after her lumpectomy in March 2014. The operation involved removing three lymph nodes in her left breast and armpit, causing her more discomfort than she was expecting.
Cheryl Mauthe lies on her couch in pain one day after her lumpectomy in March 2014. The operation involved removing three lymph nodes in her left breast and armpit, causing her more discomfort than she was expecting.
Tim Smith
Mauthe's son, Colin, eats a doughnut in the emergency room in March 2014. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2012, two years before his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Mauthe's son, Colin, eats a doughnut in the emergency room in March 2014. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2012, two years before his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Tim Smith
According to photographer Tim Smith, Cheryl Mauthe is very conscious about giving her family as normal a life as possible despite the hands they've been dealt. This means taking time to play with her two children -- including daughter Emily, left -- despite how lousy she feels.
According to photographer Tim Smith, Cheryl Mauthe is very conscious about giving her family as normal a life as possible despite the hands they've been dealt. This means taking time to play with her two children -- including daughter Emily, left -- despite how lousy she feels.
Tim Smith
After the kids go downstairs to play, the weight of the following day's double mastectomy gets to Cheryl in May 2014. She sobs in the arms of her friend Annie Jago-Fordyce.
After the kids go downstairs to play, the weight of the following day's double mastectomy gets to Cheryl in May 2014. She sobs in the arms of her friend Annie Jago-Fordyce.
Tim Smith
Cheryl buries her head in her hands while waiting to meet with the plastic surgeon prior to surgery.
Cheryl buries her head in her hands while waiting to meet with the plastic surgeon prior to surgery.
Tim Smith
Cheryl is wheeled to an operating room for her double mastectomy and reconstruction.
Cheryl is wheeled to an operating room for her double mastectomy and reconstruction.
Tim Smith
Monitors keep vigil over Cheryl's vital signs during her 10-hour surgery.
Monitors keep vigil over Cheryl's vital signs during her 10-hour surgery.
Tim Smith
Emily laughs as Cheryl plays with her in the backyard of their home in Manitoba. She is her brother and mother's biggest cheerleader. For weeks after Cheryl's diagnosis, she would make her mother cards as soon as she walked in the door from school.
Emily laughs as Cheryl plays with her in the backyard of their home in Manitoba. She is her brother and mother's biggest cheerleader. For weeks after Cheryl's diagnosis, she would make her mother cards as soon as she walked in the door from school.
Tim Smith
Emily and Colin step up to a carnival game while spending the afternoon at the Manitoba Summer Fair in June. Cheryl pulled them from school that day and took them to the fair with their grandmother.
Emily and Colin step up to a carnival game while spending the afternoon at the Manitoba Summer Fair in June. Cheryl pulled them from school that day and took them to the fair with their grandmother.
Tim Smith
Colin and Cheryl compare scars from their ports that they use to receive their chemotherapy treatments. The port is a small medical appliance surgically implanted just under the skin. It connects to a vein and allows medical staff to administer drugs -- in their case chemotherapy drugs -- and draw blood without needing to poke around for veins at each appointment.
Colin and Cheryl compare scars from their ports that they use to receive their chemotherapy treatments. The port is a small medical appliance surgically implanted just under the skin. It connects to a vein and allows medical staff to administer drugs -- in their case chemotherapy drugs -- and draw blood without needing to poke around for veins at each appointment.
Tim Smith
Cheryl runs her hand through her shorter locks in July. Her friends rallied around her at the hair salon, cracking jokes and keeping her glass topped up with wine.
Cheryl runs her hand through her shorter locks in July. Her friends rallied around her at the hair salon, cracking jokes and keeping her glass topped up with wine.
Tim Smith
A blanket keeps Cheryl warm as she undergoes her third chemotherapy treatment in early August.
A blanket keeps Cheryl warm as she undergoes her third chemotherapy treatment in early August.
Tim Smith
Pencils, erasers and binders are scanned through the checkout counter as the family does some back-to-school shooping in August. Cheryl is wearing a wig. Despite how she felt from the chemotherapy, she wouldn't let it stop her from being there for her kids.
Pencils, erasers and binders are scanned through the checkout counter as the family does some back-to-school shooping in August. Cheryl is wearing a wig. Despite how she felt from the chemotherapy, she wouldn't let it stop her from being there for her kids.
Tim Smith
Colin takes the Ice Bucket Challenge on a hot August day to raise awareness of ALS. Moments later, Emily also completed the challenge, and both of the children doused their grandma while their mom recorded video. Cheryl's father, Doug Mauthe, died from complications of ALS in December 2012.
Colin takes the Ice Bucket Challenge on a hot August day to raise awareness of ALS. Moments later, Emily also completed the challenge, and both of the children doused their grandma while their mom recorded video. Cheryl's father, Doug Mauthe, died from complications of ALS in December 2012.
Tim Smith
An exhausted and frustrated Cheryl sorts out a plan for Colin after his sister contracted a virus at school in October. Because of Colin's compromised immune system, he had to be separated from his sister for a week while her virus ran its course.
An exhausted and frustrated Cheryl sorts out a plan for Colin after his sister contracted a virus at school in October. Because of Colin's compromised immune system, he had to be separated from his sister for a week while her virus ran its course.
Tim Smith
Cheryl smokes marijuana in October to help take the pain of chemotherapy away -- something morphine and anti-nauseants weren't doing. A friend brought over some pot and said, "Try this." Cheryl would smoke a few times when nothing else worked and she was the only one in the house. After round four of chemotherapy, it took the edge off. Rounds five and six were so bad that nothing seemed to help.
Cheryl smokes marijuana in October to help take the pain of chemotherapy away -- something morphine and anti-nauseants weren't doing. A friend brought over some pot and said, "Try this." Cheryl would smoke a few times when nothing else worked and she was the only one in the house. After round four of chemotherapy, it took the edge off. Rounds five and six were so bad that nothing seemed to help.
Tim Smith
Colin gets a kiss on the cheek as he wakes up from a medical procedure in October. He goes to Winnipeg once a month for chemotherapy treatment, and he must undergo a lumbar puncture every three months to confirm the cancer hasn't spread to his spinal fluid or brain.
Colin gets a kiss on the cheek as he wakes up from a medical procedure in October. He goes to Winnipeg once a month for chemotherapy treatment, and he must undergo a lumbar puncture every three months to confirm the cancer hasn't spread to his spinal fluid or brain.
Tim Smith
Emily and Cheryl comfort Colin after a painful flu shot in November. Colin is familiar with needles and various other medical procedures, but the incessant treatment can be tiring.
Emily and Cheryl comfort Colin after a painful flu shot in November. Colin is familiar with needles and various other medical procedures, but the incessant treatment can be tiring.
Tim Smith
Cheryl unwinds with Jago-Fordyce at a concert in early December. When Cheryl first lost her hair in June, she didn't have the confidence to leave home without a wig on. By the fall, she had owned her new look and barely ever bothered with the wigs anymore. In 2015, she was declared cancer-free.
Cheryl unwinds with Jago-Fordyce at a concert in early December. When Cheryl first lost her hair in June, she didn't have the confidence to leave home without a wig on. By the fall, she had owned her new look and barely ever bothered with the wigs anymore. In 2015, she was declared cancer-free.
Tim Smith