About Her

We are currently in the process of turning About Her, our short film that debuted at last year’s Breast Fest, into a feature length documentary. Phyllis Ellis is the director of both films.

A shot from the About Her Trailer at the 2009
Breast Fest Film Festival

About Her began as a short film project commissioned by Rethink Breast Cancer. The original concept was to interview several young women who were experiencing breast cancer. When I began this project, I knew very little about breast cancer, but it had touched my life through friends and family over the years. I thought there was one type of breast cancer that affected women and some men. If your mother had it, you should get a mammogram annually and examine your breasts regularly. Not that I did, but I understood that I should.

After my experience over a period of months with these young women whose lives had been completely altered by this aggressive cancer, I learned many things. There are many different kinds of breast cancer, and in many of the diagnosis there is no link to genetics. In every case, mammograms did not identify the tumor. I learned that young women just starting their lives and families can get aggressive breast cancer.

As a filmmaker, aside from the journey into the medical world – from discovery through diagnosis, treatment, and (with hope) complete recovery – I was witness not only to the trauma and fear but to the remarkable resilience and fight of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

The original intention was to spend days in their lives and ‘document’ in real time their experiences. The initial interview with Lisa Rendal, a woman who has been living with metastatic breast cancer for 9 years, altered the course of the film and sent my creative approach in a completely new direction. Through Lisa, I realized the power of a simply told story, without reams of coverage and b roll. I saw through the lens, her eyes, her body and her feelings and as I sat for hours on end, was riveted simply by her words, the emotion that flowed freely and the intimacy of our conversation. I decided then to keep the visuals limited to these interviews, to the moments of break through and the stories these women tell often for the first time.

And this is how I discovered the connection, the through line story, one story, nine lives. One of the most amazing moments in each interview is when the subjects tell me they have never spoken about their feelings in this way, it inspires me and I feel honoured to know these women.

Phyllis Ellis,
Director, About HerClick here to watch the short film

What’s so funny about breast cancer?

Lina Crossin, Booby Innovation
Grant Recipient

I’ll never forget that day on the school bus in grade 6 when a cute boy looked at my flat, undeveloped chest and announced in a loud voice that he had a joke that’ll “knock your tits off but I see you’ve already heard it before!” Needless to say I was totally humiliated and angry at the little jerk but how was I to know that years later I would rethink his comment as (possibly) the world’s 1st mastectomy joke?

Years later, at the age of 33, there wasn’t a lot I found funny about the bilateral breast cancer that had spread to my lymph nodes and required 2 mastectomies, many rounds of chemotherapy, radiation and multiple surgeries. But when I found myself at the cancer clinic waiting for 1 of my chemo treatments and looked down at my flat-again chest, I couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of the situation.

Aside from developing a penchant for completely inappropriate humour, my cancer experience woke me up to my life and my calling. More years later, after the scars had healed and it slowly dawned on me that I might have a future (touch wood), I decided to get the heck out of the corporate world and return to doing what I loved best, helping others in a personal and meaningful way versus a shuffling-paper- really-quickly kind of way.  

That’s what prompted me to start carrying school books again and complete my master’s degree in Counselling Psychology. I was just setting up my practice when I discovered the Booby Innovation Grant   offered by Rethink Breast Cancer. The grant provides funds of up to $60,000 to young women with a personal history of breast cancer who, during their own journey with the disease, have recognized a gap in support services for young women in treatment for or healing from breast cancer.

I was stoked to have an opportunity to bring my professional and personal experiences together and drafted a proposal for an employment counselling program to help young women navigate the limbo-land between breast cancer treatments and the world of work.

I was lucky enough to be awarded the B.I.G. grant! Combining my personal experience with the challenges of returning to work after breast cancer with my profession, enabled me to develop cedars, a free employment counselling program for young women with breast cancer.

At no cost, young women with breast cancer in Canada can enroll in the program and receive up to 10 hours of individualized support that can be tailored to meet their unique needs. Assistance can include, help in preparing for difficult or illegal interview questions, assistance with developing resumes and cover letters, learning how to tap into the hidden job market and exploring various career options.

I’m so excited to begin this journey and help other women deal with this time in their lives. To enroll or for more information, check out the cedars program website online. And if you know a young woman who might benefit from this program, please feel free to pass along my contact information:

Lina Crossin RCC, CCC                                     

Website: www.soleilcounselling.ca                                      

Phone: 604-790-3344

Email: lina@soleilcounselling.ca

Skype: lina-in-vancouver 

Rethinking Your Daily Routine

Sometimes all you really need is a day away from the hustle and bustle of city life (especially from our office loft in the middle of Chinatown). So, once a year, we at Rethink Breast Cancer take a day to rethink our daily routine and venture off to clear our heads (how else do you think we come up with such innovative ideas?). And I couldn’t think of a better oasis in the city other than Ward Island.

Disembarking from the ferry, the first thing I noticed was a little girl wearing a Fashion Targets Breast Cancer tee! Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a photo (her mother wasn’t around to give the okay). It’s always nice to catch a glimpse of Rethink out in the world.

It was a beautiful day, so our whole team, appropriately dressed for a day by the water, strolled along the boardwalk, rented bicycles (which went pretty smoothly, except for a few minor mishaps) and had a fantastic lunch at The Rectory Café (where I decided my future wedding is to be held; I'm the one goofing around on the far left by the way). 

Returning to the city after a day of R&R wasn’t easy, but I was definitely ready for the night ahead which included hitting up Caitlin Cronenberg’s book launch for POSER and dropping in on the party at C-Lounge for Lavalife’s Sumer Lovin’ event, both of which were donating a portion of their proceeds to Rethink!

After only three months of work here, I can definitely say that no two days are ever the same. So stay tuned for upcoming events, projects and news. And in the mean time, connect with me on Facebook and Twitter!

Jordanna Ber,
Marketing and Communications Coordinator 

It’s only Wednesday, and I’m already nervous about taking part in this Sunday’s Seek the Peak Relay. I’ve been taking part in races for 23 years and I still get the same sense of nervousness and excitement. Bit of an addict really.

This event is a big challenge. It was designed to be daunting. But the truth is, the harder the challenge, the more amazing the feeling you have when you overcome it. As Bruce Cockburn said in his beautiful song, Lovers in a Dangerous Time,


Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight / you’ve got to kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight

Another truth is this: you can do it. People battling cancer have reached the Peak. People with MS, Diabetes, prosthetic limbs, and that are legally blind have reached the Peak. Smokers, recovering alcoholics, and otherwise unhealthy people have reached the Peak. An event like this is not about how fast you completed the course in and where you placed. In the grand scheme of life, those things do not matter. The people who love and support you will be proud of you for simply taking part and challenging yourself. And when you reach the peak and look back down to where you started at Ambleside Beach, the sense of achievement and pride in what you just did will empower you.

Two other truisms to take to the start line with you:

1. It doesn’t matter who you are, there will always be someone faster and someone slower than you. So just relax and do it for your self.

2. It’s simply mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter!

Motivation aside, here are some practical tips to help you along the journey:

1. Maintain your diet. Last minute diet changes wreak havoc on your digestive system.

2. Hydrate. Drink plenty of water, starting now. Mix in an electrolyte occasionally (diluated Gatorade, for example)

3. Get a good nights sleep for at least the two nights before the race. Sleep is a crucial recovery aid and will help with mental acuity on race day.

4. Practice positive thinking. “I can do it.” Visualize yourself floating up the trails, powering up the Grind, and feeling the adrenaline when you reach the peak, then the finish. Remember, positive thought precedes positive action.

5. If you’re a runner, go for a very easy 15-20 minute run on flat terrain (grass field is the best) the day before followed by a light stretch. This will prep your body for the event. If you’re a walker / hiker, do the same.

6. On race day, eat your normal breakfast about two – three hours before the race start. This will give your body time to digest the bulk of the food and get rid of what it needs to get rid of.

7. Dress in layers, and bring a hat. Wear sunscreen.

8. Thoroughly warm-up. An easy 10-15 jog / brisk walk started about 30 minutes before the race followed by a light stretch (hip flexors, calves, quads in particular)

9. Run / walk the first 5 minutes of the race at an easier effort level than you normally would (this is particularly for the Alpha Males / Females in the group who have a propensity for hammering early and fading late). Conversation pace early will set you up for a strong finish. Adrenaline and the sheer momentum of the pack always causes people to run faster than they should initially.

10. If you’re racing solo, break down the race into each of its four stages and deal with accordingly.

11. Drink water / electrolyte early and often, particularly if it is a hot or humid day

12. Keep thinking positively.

13. When the going gets tough (and it might), think about why you’re doing this event and who you are doing it for.

14. Smile often!

Can’t wait to see all of you Sunday. It’s going to be an amazing morning!

Eric
Founder, Seek the Peak

Guest Blogger: Eric Langhjelm, Founder, Seek The Peak

Seek the Peak is less than one week away! So we caught up with the Eric Langhjelm, the founder of this annual event for Rethink Breast Cancer, to provide some tips and inspire you for this year's big race.

"I never imagined the Seek the Peak (STP) would become what it is today: a ten mile journey from the beach at Ambleside to the very peak of Grouse Mountain that became Canada’s largest trail running event in just its first year back in 2003.


When I first started working for Grouse Mountain in the fall of 2002 as their newly appointed Adventure Programs Manager, I was given the task of marrying the concept of a Winter Adventure Race with Grouse’s newly charity partner, Rethink Breast Cancer. Objectives were clearly laid out. 100 teams of 4 performing various tasks. Raise $25,000 for the charity. As fate would have it, the project happened to be given to someone who hates the cold and who had already established a career of hosting trail races with big hills in the middle.

The real genesis for the STP took place over a beer with a friend in Grouse Mountain’s Altitude’s Bistro the summer before. We were in the middle of training for our first attempt at the Knee Knacker (local ultra marathon) and were running up as many hills as we could find. The start was as simple as “I wonder if Grouse would ever let us put on a race from there (pointing to Ambleside in the distance) to here?”

So, there I was, months later, wracking my brain in an attempt to figure out a way to make the idea of a Winter Adventure Race a reality when I got the brilliant (to me) idea of showing senior management how that idea wouldn’t work and that we should launch a new event that would challenge people to run, hike, or walk from Ambleside to the peak of Grouse.

When I first pitched the idea, with the working title of “Reach the Peak,” it was met with considerable skepticism, as in “you’re never going to convince more than 100 people to take part.” But then I started to talk about the symbolism of the event. That the race was representative of the journey people stricken with cancer must take to beat the disease. That the journey is hard, but that through sheer will, a positive attitude, and the unwavering support of family, friends, and community, the peak, good health, can be reached.

At the time of that first pitch to management, I had known exactly one person who had had cancer. I truly had no idea how prevalent cancer is in our society. Now, seven years later, the reality of this epidemic has hit close to home time and time again.

In an effort to do my part to help raise funds and awareness for Rethink Breast Cancer, I have decided to donate 25% of my income earned in the month of July to Rethink. Further, I will donate 25% of any income earned as a result of my involvement in this important event to Rethink.

Thank you for doing your part to help beat this disease. When the going gets tough on race day, take a moment to reflect on what or who inspired you to take part. That will give you the energy and push you need to take you to the peak!

Best of luck on race day."

Check back next week for exercise and nutritional tips from Eric for the big day! You can also help fundraise online.

Are you ready for the Grind?

our beauTEAful volunteers

On Saturday, May 29th Rethink Breast Cancer hosted the second annual tea in honour of the remarkable volunteers who provide peer support to young women with breast cancer. Our team of skilled volunteers includes 18 young women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, who have experienced breast cancer and who have chosen to use their experience to support other young women who are going through it. This year the tea took place in the elegant Fireplace Room at the Windsor Arms Hotel in downtown Toronto.

The tea was a time out from busy lives in a world apart. It was an opportunity for our community to renew friendships, welcome newcomers and remember absent friends, while we sipped tea from delicate china cups and nibbled on delicious goodies. There was laughter and there were some tears. We celebrated events of the past year – graduations, weddings and the long-awaited adoption of Lily, a beautiful baby girl, the newest member of our extended family, who joined us for the first time. And we paid tribute to Steluta, an old friend who sadly passed away in March.

Afternoon tea is an elegant Victorian tradition developed by a woman for women to enjoy. It is said that Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, introduced the custom in England in 1840, to ease the hunger she experienced between the mid-day meal and a late night supper. The Duchess’s idea took off and during the Victorian era women would dress up and get-together in the afternoon to break bread and share experiences. An afternoon tea seems like the perfect feminine way to recognize this extraordinary group of young women, who choose to share their unique wisdom and compassion with peers.

Noni Regan
Coordinator, Peer Support for Young Women with Breast Cancer

Rethink Breast Cancer Meets Sex and the City

It was a chilly December day when MJ and I landed in NYC to visit the Kim Cattrall Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaign photo shoot. We pulled up to this totally movie style loft where the shoot was being held and couldn’t believe that after all of our hard work on the campaign, everything was finally falling into place.  

Entering the Milk Studios we weaved past shoots for Sports Illustrated and other big name celebrity brands (peeking in on the action of course)-it was very Hollywood! When we arrived at our studio, we were flabbergasted at the humongous white photo studio with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Hudson. It was incredible! We scanned for Kim who was sequestered behind a screen surrounded by makeup artists, hair stylists and wardrobe - we were so excited to finally meet her! We chatted with Kate Daniels-her friend and publicist-who helped put everything together for the campaign. We owe her a big THANK YOU! Both Kate and Kim were extremely gracious and committed to the breast cancer cause. We talked with Kim over lunch (from the incredible restaurant belonging to Iron Chef Marimoto) about her connections to the cause and the young women with breast cancer that we work with (and of course a little Sex in the City 2 talk as well!). She was attentive and touched by our work at Rethink Breast Cancer.

I decided to get MJ to shoot a terribly paparazzi like picture of Kim and I. It was then agreed upon that a better photograph would definitely be needed for this blog posting!

Like the professional that she is, Kim gave our photographer the “money shot” fairly quickly and everyone started rapidly wrapping up... and we got our shot with Kim! Kim was everything we imagined her to be, passionate about the cause, kind and absolutely stunning. She wore the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer tee with pride and we couldn’t be happier to have her as the face of our campaign. 

Alison Gordon
VP, Strategy, Marketing and Communications

Pink Tie event brings Rethink Breast Cancer to Edmonton in Style

I made a whirlwind trip to Edmonton last weekend to participate in the Pink Tie Gala in support of Rethink Breast Cancer. The event was driven by Sylvia Soo, a creative and talented young woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 25 and now at 26 is taking on the breast cancer fundraising scene by storm. Sylvia and her cute and cool  BFFs organized the volunteer driven event. They did an amazing job! Sylvia has both a magnetic and laid-back personality - she was so chill hosting this big party (I recall being much more of a high strung mess at my first big event when I was her age!). It’s clear that her story resonates in the community. She pulled in talented suppliers and generous sponsors to put on a kick-ass, celebratory and very stylish event – delicious and very bountiful food, great décor including a glass cherry blossom tree and fabulous staging for the fashion show, which absolutely transformed the LEXUS dealership. In addition to a fashion show featuring local designers, entertainment ranged from what I call “so you think you can dance” style dancers to a really cute little burlesque troupe to a salsa number to two guys doing a rap to a very powerful spoken word artist.  It all worked! I loved how the buzzing crowd embraced the theme, especially the women of course. There were tons of stunning pink dresses – none more lovely than Sylvia’s who absolutely glowed that night. Some women went for all black with hot pink accessories – giant corsage headband and/or faux flower pin a la Carrie Bradshaw. And there were soooooo many really amazing pink shoes!

My night at the party was also a bit of a “blind-date” with one of our monthly donors! Earlier this year, I connected with some of our monthly donors via email just to check in and find out how they got involved with Rethink. I struck up a great email convo with an Edmonton donor, Sarah. She’s a 30-something advertising exec and it turns out, her mom is the one who first told her about Rethink. Her mom is a breast cancer survivor and is very active in launching Wellspring in Edmonton. When I emailed Sarah last week to see if we could have coffee while I was in town, she already had her tickets to the event! I had a great time hanging out with Sarah and her friends at the party. I also got to meet and chat with a couple of women in Development (i.e. fundraising) for U of A’s department of medicine – turns out they knew some of Sarah’s group too. There seemed to be lots of overlap amongst the guests, which is always so fun.

A huge thank you to Sylvia and her volunteer team. Can’t wait to hear the fundraising total!!

If you think you’d be interested in pulling together an event for Rethink (big or small, it all helps) please get in touch. Our events team can offer support and you get to be creative, have fun and help keep our vital programs growing!

P.S. Sylvia organized this event as a volunteer but we have just hired her as our Programs & Events Coordinator, Alberta & B.C. After attending her event, I’m more excited than ever that we’ve hired her to help grow Rethink Breast Cancer.

MJ,

Executive Director, Rethink Breast Cancer