A Sudbury man has a new lease on life after being diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago.
Terry Ames is grateful to be alive.
In 2007, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Two years later, he was given only six months to live, but he fought to beat the illness and was deemed cancer-free by 2011.
The 44-year-old vividly remembers celebrating the news with loved ones at a golf tournament.
"I told the story when I'm sitting in the doctor's office and he comes up and says, 'Terry there is no more cancer'. That moment was such an amazing moment," said Ames.
"When I shared it with this group of people, the whole room cried, and I was crying and we were all crying. I re-live that moment time and time again, so I'm like I have to share this."
The defining moment inspired him to give back by starting a local initiative in 2012 called the ‘Terry Ames Care Fund’.
It's a charity aimed at supporting families who are fighting cancer; both emotionally and financially.
"He started a wave," said Tannys Laughren, Northern Cancer Foundation executive director.
"Now, we have a couple of different funds that help paediatric patients. That helps patients that are travelling. He started it."
"I get to meet with people all the time that are going through cancer and not just recipients of the fund, people who just need a little bit of a boost and they want to hear my story. I tell them I get as much out of it as they do, because it makes me feel so good just to give them some inspiration," Ames explained.
In five years, Ames has raised about $130,000 and he has helped more than 120 northern families.
Ames said the date he became cancer free was July 20, one day before his birthday.
This year he's celebrating his 45th and he says being alive is the greatest gift he could ever ask for.
