Jill’s Story
For SudburyROCKS!!! Marathon participant Jill Riva, every step is a celebration of strength, survivorship, and the care she received close to home.
Diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine mammogram in early 2021, Jill describes the experience as shocking and overwhelming. “I didn’t fit the typical risk pattern. I was scared, overwhelmed and felt uncertain about my future.” Navigating her diagnosis during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic made an already difficult time even more isolating, but at Health Sciences North (HSN) and the Shirley & Jim Fielding Northeast Cancer Centre, she found compassion at every step. “The staff and physicians were the light in the storm. I was always met with kindness, a smile and words of support. Dark days were made a bit brighter.”
As both a patient and a longtime HSN employee, Jill experienced firsthand the dedication of her colleagues, even while facing much of her treatment alone due to visitor restrictions. “As an HSN employee since 1991, I received so much support from staff and colleagues along my journey,” she says. “Staff at the Cancer Centre even allowed me to bring my husband in when I rang the bell, which I appreciate to this day.” That moment marked a powerful milestone in her journey and a turning point toward healing, gratitude, and renewed purpose.
A lifelong runner, Jill now channels that gratitude into action through SudburyROCKS!!!, supporting the HSN Foundation with every kilometre. She ran her first half marathon in 2022. “I decided to run my first SudburyROCKS!!! half marathon in 2022 to celebrate my 3rd year Cancerversary of no evidence of disease,” she says. “My family drove the whole route with stops along the way to cheer me on. I remember standing at the start line, reflecting on how blessed I was to be participating in this run.”
For Jill, SudburyROCKS!!! is about more than the distance. “Just do it. It takes commitment to train, but there’s a race for every level,” she says. “The volunteers are incredible, and the camaraderie among runners is unmatched. Even strangers offer encouragement when it gets tough. I’ve been fortunate to train with colleagues from HSN Team Resilience, including members of the Outpatient Mental Health and Addictions Program, which makes it even more meaningful. My family follows me along the route, and the 21.1 kilometres gives me time to reflect on my journey and celebrate survivorship. Crossing the finish line remains exhilarating and emotional.”
