Family gets new roof after woman dies due to rare cancer

Tenille Bryanton was able to pick out new shingles for her home as part of a project for Regina Trades and Skills.

But she died on April 11 after a months-long battle with cancer, weeks before she was able to see the roof repaired on what was supposed to be her forever home. She was 30.

“We were really hopeful that we might have treatments that would beat back her tumours and allow her a lot more time with us but her cancer was just super-aggressive so now we’re just continuing to support each other,” said Terri Strunk, Tenille’s mother.

“We were able to hold a memorial for her in Regina a couple of weeks ago, respecting COVID protocols. As much as it’s super-tough to have lost such a beautiful, bright light in our lives, we’re doing OK.”

Strunk said Tenille and her husband, Adam, bought the house three years ago this week intending to raise their family in it.

But Bryanton was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer — Inflammatory Myrofibroblastic — in October 2020. According to a release from Regina Trades and Skills, there are fewer than 200 cases of it in North America every year.

The months after took a toll on the family physically, mentally and financially with hospital bills mounting.

To help them out, Regina Trades and Skills teamed with Wheatland Roofing to repair the roof free of charge.

“It’s almost indescribable what it means. Adam and Tenille bought their home three years ago. They knew it needed a new roof. This winter, their furnace also quit so they spent a good amount of money getting that replaced and she has been off work dealing with everything else,” Strunk said.

“Tenille was blown away (when told they would get their new roof). She is the first person to want to give back and help others. She was very emotional about it. She and Adam together were able to pick out the colour of the shingles. She was very much looking forward to being able to speak about it and what it meant to them because she was that type of person.”

Work on the roof for their Regina home began Tuesday. It’s being repaired by students with Regina Trades and Skills with all the labour and supplies free of charge.

It’s a part of the school’s training to provide on-site training with projects like this.

“It’s a wonderful experience to be able to help some other people learn their trade in this way and also for the company to help this young family, this young father with two little girls in their adjustment to life without their mom and for all of us without our daughter and sister,” Strunk said. “It’s truly amazing.”

Kind acts aren’t new for the family since Tenille’s diagnosis. A GoFundMe had been set up to raise money to help the family during the difficult time. It raised more than $44,000, exceeding its $10,000 goal.

“It’s been really, truly wonderful (seeing the support),” Strunk said.

Strunk said Adam has been a pillar of strength for his family during all of this.

“Not only for Tenille but for his little girls. He has his moments of course. He and Tenille were together for the last 13 years and he lost his best friend. It’s super hard — they were yin and yang with each other. He’s doing what the rest of us are doing, taking it one day at a time and just slowly learning to adjust. He’s a wonderful young man and we’re super proud of him,” Strunk said.