There wasn't a hiking trail Kathleen didn't like, a geocache she didn't want to find, or an adventure she backed down from. Having battled and slain many a dragon, enjoyed camping at parks around this great country, laughed, drank and smiled with friends and family despite rainy weather camp weekends, Kathleen Spilek's last battle was the hardest. On September 16th her almost five-year battle with cancer has come to an end. She was 49.
Kathleen was the oldest of four children born to parents Dominic and Diane Spilek on September 11, 1970 in Bancroft, Ont. Kathleen had been involved in Girl Guides for 25 years, 22 of those as a leader. Through her leadership and sense of adventure, she believed in the empowerment, advancement and facilitation of girls to become the strong, independent women she knew they could become. Kathleen is survived by her husband, Eric Wynne; children, Kassia and Evan Wynne; sisters, Christine O'Toole (Eric O'Toole), Colleen Spilek (Reid Cochrane); brother, Jason (Christine Sawyer); nieces, Dominique, Jillian, Inessa Spilek and Maddison and Chantal Sawyer, Amanda Wynne; and sister-in-law, Deborah Kuehl (Bryan). Kathleen is also survived by parents, Dominic and Diane Spilek; mother-in-law, Kay Wynne; numerous cousins and their partners; as well as many aunts, uncles, and their partners.
Kathleen enjoyed the fun and adventures with her friends, neighbours, fellow Girl Guide and Scout leaders, and of her "work family" as she lived in her adopted province of Nova Scotia for the last 21 years. While she was battling her initial rectal cancer, and subsequent metastasized cancer, Kathleen began educating and informing family, friends and anyone who would listen to the value of early detection and advocating for one's own health. The family would like to thank the staff, nurses and doctors at Dartmouth General, the Halifax Infirmary, QEII, the Dickson Cancer Centre and lastly the Palliative Care floor at the Centennial Building for buying us more time with Kathleen at the end of her journey with cancer.
A visitation will occur at 4 p.m. on Thursday, September 19th in A. L. Mattatall Funeral Home, 217 Portland St., Dartmouth. The funeral service will be held at 7 p.m. A short reception will follow.Cremation will occur after. A final funeral and burial will occur in St. Ignatius Parish in Maynooth, Ont., the following week. To remember Kathleen, please make a donation to a GoFundMe campaign to set up self-perpetuating post-secondary scholarships for girls enrolled in Girl Guides at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/1pagugrzqo?member=2603732 Kathleen's family would also like to continue to educate on early detection of colorectal cancer by getting tested. In many provinces, once you turn 50, the provincial health department sends out a test kit. Kathleen was diagnosed with Stage 2 rectal cancer at the age of 44. Early detection at any age is key to battling cancer. Find out more information at: http://www.cancer.ca/en/prevention-and-screening/reduce-cancer-risk/find-cancer-early/get-screened-for-colorectal-cancer/?region=on
"The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world, or a relation ship... Everything has its time. And everything ends."
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