Saskatoon mom with 6 months to live checks off bucket list

On March 1, doctors told 29-year-old Colleen Burris she only has six months to live.

Now the Saskatoon woman is making the most of the time she has left, visiting family and making memories with her husband and young daughter.

“A lot of people aren’t given the opportunity to know when you’re going to pass. And so you let those moments slip by that maybe you should have been making more memories,” she said.

According to a ‘Go Fund Me’ page set up to help cover expenses, Burris was diagnosed with sarcoma cancer in August 2012 – just days after her wedding.

She underwent surgery and was in remission for some time. In 2014, Burris and her husband adopted a baby girl.

Now, with the cancer’s return, Burris has chosen not to receive chemo treatment.

In less than a month, the fundraising page, started by her sister, brought in more than $47,000. The goal was $30,000.

Burris is documenting her journey on Facebook too and told 650 CKOM’s John Gormley Monday the support is amazing.

“We have complete strangers messaging us daily just giving us a lot of courage to walk through this,” she said.

So far, Burris has travelled to Mexico for a family trip. She’s also spent time in Calgary and Canmore, where she tried dog sledding and shooting at a gun range – and there’s still more plans in the works.

“We’re going to do Nova Scotia to see my husband’s family and friends,” Burris said. “I’ve got a Vegas trip booked, I’m going to L.A. to see some relatives and we’re going to do some skydiving and the race track.”

Burris said she doesn’t want to plan too far in advance, since the six-month prognosis isn’t foolproof. However, even as she checks things off her bucket list, Burris remains hopeful.

“We’re not giving up, you know. There may be a cure, just not through the regular ways.”