Siebels chosen as Relay For Life keynote speaker

      Relay For Life is coming back to Jones County, and Linda Siebels of Monticello has been chosen as this year’s keynote speaker.

     Siebels said she was asked to be the speaker because of her positive attitude and her experience with being a cancer survivor.

     On April 8, 2016, Siebels was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare blood disease with no cure.

     The symptoms began to show through when she got pneumonia and it wasn’t getting any better. Her hemoglobin was also very low and she felt tired and had no ambition.

     After undergoing blood work for a few months, Siebels’ hematologist recommended she get a bone marrow biopsy. Four days later she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, in the intermediate stage.

     When she found out she had cancer, Siebels called her family with a hopeful attitude.

     “I said I was going to be fine and that’s my attitude for the whole thing.”

     Siebels began treatment the same day she was diagnosed. She went through four months of two types of chemo that included shots in her stomach, steroids, a chemo tablet and a few other medicines.

     She mentioned having memory and sight loss as well as difficulty doing normal activities while she was in treatment.

     While Siebels initially went to Hall-Perrine Cancer Center in Cedar Rapids, she also spent six weeks at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., for her transplant.

     At this time, Siebels does not have a job due to her low immunity and ability to catch pneumonia and other infections very easily. For nearly a year after her transplant, she was unable to leave the house for most occasions and she is still very cautious today.

     “When we go to the grocery store I wipe off every can before I put it in my cupboard because you don’t know if someone’s had a cold and so you just take a lot more precautions,” she said. “I couldn’t even go to church.”

     Siebels is currently in remission but unfortunately she will never be cancer free. However, she said she is very grateful because about 15 to 20 years ago it was known that multiple myeloma was a death sentence.

     “They have come so far in their research and that’s why Relay For Life is so important because it raises money to help others.”

     Sadly, cancer is not a stranger to Siebels and her family. Her mother had an ovary removed because of cancer and her brother also dealt with prostate cancer.               

     The biggest challenge Siebels said she encountered due to her cancer is not being around people. “I’m a people person. I love people and it was very hard,” she added.                 

     On the other hand, she said the cancer has also had a positive effect on her. When she was diagnosed, Siebels began living life with a new perspective.

     “You really love the sunsets and the sunrises and the silly things that the grandkids do that you might have missed,” she shared. “You just really pay attention to a lot of different things.”

     Siebels praised her friends and family, for giving her a good support system. She is especially thankful for her husband of nearly 47 years, Paul, who has also been her caregiver.

     She wanted to stay positive through this entire experience because she didn’t want people to feel sorry for her.

     Now that Siebels is in remission, she follows a healthy diet, exercises, rests, and takes her daily medications.

     For many years, she was on the Relay For Life committee. She was in charge of organizing speakers and entertainers. She was very passionate about working on the committee because of her history with family and friends losing their battle to cancer.

     For 13 years, she has also been involved in the Especially for You Race in Cedar Rapids, where over 30,000 people come to raise awareness for breast cancer.

     “My doctor once told me, ‘We are all a snowflake. We all may have the same kind of cancer, but nobody’s is exactly the same.’”

     During her Relay For Life speech, Siebels plans to speak out to those who are battling cancer to motivate them and let them know they are not alone.

     “I want everyone to know others are rooting for you and don’t give up hope,” she said.