Cancer survivor Dionne Warner thrilled by husband's 75-tonne gift

It can be difficult for a husband to find that perfect gift,but Graham Warner believes a 75-tonne tow truck painted hot pink is a fitting tribute to his wife, Dionne, whohas survived eight cancer diagnoses in 20 years.

Dionne Warneragrees.

"Hey, some girls get purses, boots, a book," Dionnesaid."I get a tow truck!"

On Friday morning, GrahamWarner showed his support for his wife's cancer fight in creative and dramatic fashion, something the couple has made itstrademark.

RAW: Cancer survivor Dionne Warner christens 75-tonne gift

10 years ago

Duration 0:19

Dionne Warner, who has survived eight cancer diagnoses, christened the pink and purple transformer-like rescue truck by smashing a bottle of champagne.

The Warners, known for wearing elaborate costumes and dancing at chemotherapy, christened the pink and purpletransformer-like rescue truck by smashinga bottle of champagne.

Warner runs a large truck and bus dealership with commercial towing services, so building a half-million-dollar tow truck wasn't a philanthropic venture. However, he decided to paint it pink not a popular idea among his driversto symbolize the powerful help available to cancer patients.

Love story

While some might wonder if it's a marketinggimmick, Warnerhas long shown his support for Dionne with great flair. The couple has sported 130 costumes to chemotherapy,from disco sparkle pants to rocker animal print Spandex.

"It just snowballed into so many different themesbecause we thought,'Everybody is just loving thisand we're having so much fun,' " Dionne, 49, told CBC News. "Friends were saying, 'Have fun at chemo!' "

It's been a long journey to this point.

Dionne was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995,at age 30, and her marriage at the time didn't survive.

My first husband said to me that nobody would want me,that I was damaged goods.- Dionne Warner

"My first husband said to me that nobody would want me, that I was damaged goods," Dionne said.

The metastatic breast cancer hadgone into remission then recurred seven times in different parts of her body. Shehad brain surgery twice in 1997.

Graham and Dionne Warner, who had met years earlier, reunited in 2001after their first marriages ended. Their relationship had a rough start when Dionne was diagnosed with cancer in her liver.

In 2009, after seven years of remission,doctors delivered her most serious diagnoses yet Stage 4 palliative cancer in her bones, lungsand liver.

Chemo costumes

Dionne took 24 hours to ask all the, 'Why me?' questions, then decided she would wear war paint and a bright pink "Cancer Sucks" T-shirt to her first day of chemotherapy. As always, Graham was at her side.

Since then, the couple has taken delight in dressing up to entertaineach other and other cancer patients.

On chemo treatment days, Graham stops by their house to put on whatever costume Dionne has laid out, then escorts her to the Allan Blair Cancer Centre in Regina. They often playmusic and dance their way into the treatment area.

While Dionne is still undergoing chemotherapy for liver cancer, the spunky woman is allsmiles as she checks out the tow truck from her husband.

For her, the real gift is yet anotherday together.

Cancer survivor calls tow-truck "best gift ever."

10 years ago

Duration 2:05

Dionne Warner has been diagnosed with cancer eight times. Now, her husband has given her a pink tow truck. Dionne calls it the "best gift ever."