On Friday, June 21, Michelle Dvorak-Held will remember her sister, Janice Trudnowski, by lighting the torch during The Ride for Roswell’s Celebration of Hope. Though most of the 10,000 people attending the ceremony will never have met Janice, many of them will have been touched by her generosity and compassion. Janice’s love for her fellow cancer patients sounds loud and clear through the lobby of the Roswell Park hospital every time someone rings the Victory Bell to mark a milestone in their treatment or survivorship. Decorated with four angel warriors, the bell was her gift to Roswell Park in 2015.
“Even in sickness, Jan wanted to give something back to other patients,” says Michelle.
After being diagnosed with glioblastoma in May 2012, Janice underwent 33 rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, followed by a clinical trial, all at Roswell Park. When she finished her radiation treatments, she wanted to celebrate, but smiles and hugs all around were not enough. She wanted to express herself with something big and boisterous — and a clanging bell was just the thing.
“She knew that patients have a fighting spirit, and they need something positive to celebrate with — something loud, that everyone can share,” says Michelle. “The Victory Bell is musical, like her. She wanted people to rejoice in another victory over cancer and to bring smiles to the caregivers.”
Janice also participated in The Ride for Roswell. Her first experience was in 2015, when she attended the Celebration of Hope. In 2017 Michelle created a Ride team, which they named Team Grey Matters. By the following year, the team had grown to 14 people, and together they raised more than $21,000 for cancer research and patient-care programs at Roswell Park.
Janice died of brain cancer in September 2018. Although glioblastoma patients survive on average for only 18 months, Janice lived six years after her diagnosis. Michelle attributes her extended survival to cancer research, clinical trials and her healthy lifestyle.
“The Celebration of Hope was Janice's absolute favorite part of The Ride,” says Michelle. “She loved the Friday night activities and especially enjoyed when the Peloton arrived.
“To be able to light the torch in her honor, on behalf of our team — and to bring awareness about cancer to an event Janice treasured — is a tremendous honor.”
Editor’s Note: Cancer patient outcomes and experiences may vary, even for those with the same type of cancer. An individual patient’s story should not be used as a prediction of how another patient will respond to treatment. Roswell Park is transparent about the survival rates of our patients as compared to national standards, and provides this information, when available, within the cancer type sections of this website.