CJ 222: News Reporting & Writing
Laughter proves to be the best medicine
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See the expanded, newspaper-style story
Listen to Farrell's 2010 Relay For Life speech, submitted by Karla Farrell
Visit the Relay For Life Homepage to get involved
By Megan Chilman
CJ 222 News Reporting & Writing student
Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010
Listen to the audio version of this story as you read the script here:
 Karla Farrell walked in the Survivors Lap during the 2010 Relay For Life. |
Karla Farrell (FAIR-el) stood in front of 500 people at the Yellow Medicine County Relay For Life. Farrell described her doctor breaking the news that she would have to undergo a mastectomy (mas-TEC-tu-ME) as the next step in her treatment for breast cancer.
Karla Farrell, SOT: (“My heart just sank. And I looked at him and I said, ‘Well… I suppose I could give up my life on ‘the pole....’”) (:10)
Farrell … 47… used her unique sense of humor to deal with her father’s death and to fight breast cancer. Farrell works as an instructional specialist at the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire and lives in Eau Claire with her family.
Catherine Artac (AR-TACK)… one Farrell’s co-workers… speaks about their office atmosphere (AT-mos-FEAR).
Catherine Artac, SOT: (“We laugh all the time… and that helps diffuse the stress. It’s the first job I’ve ever had that I don’t wake up more often than not [thinking]... ‘God... I don’t want to go to work today.’ Sometimes co-workers can bring you down... even if you like what you’re doing. It’s not like that [here].”) (:18)
Farrell says… the re-assurance and support of her co-workers played a key role in her recovery.
After a recent check-up confirming that she is in remission (re-MISH-un)… Farrell is upbeat about the future.
Karla Farrell, SOT: (“Cancer has made me a nicer person. I think I’ve always been an optimist… but now I project it more. I try to keep it positive and if it isn’t… it will at least be an attempt at humor.”) (:09)
For CJ222… I’m Megan Chilman.