By Aya McMillan Remember that Seinfeld episode where George Costanza had a custom desk built with a hidden bed underneath so he could take afternoon naps? “I finally found a way to sleep in my office,” he exclaimed. “Under the desk. I lie on my back. I tuck in the chair. I’m invisible. I’m REFRESHED.” I would murder someone for that refreshing feeling RN. The only thing I want more in life than a sleeper desk is to not want a sleeper desk. It’s been two and half years since I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, and tired doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel. Post-cancer, my fati ..read more

I had a feeling 2019 was going to be the year to “restart” my life, one that I had put on hold due to having children (now eight and four years old) and previous breast cancer diagnoses. In 2016, I was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) just before I turned 36. After the bilateral mastectomy, I had a pretty easy recovery and was told that I was CURED!  I believed that fully until in 2017, the DCIS came back so I had surgery to remove remaining tissues in my breast. I was cured and told to live my life not only once, but twice! Although the thought of recurrence lingered, I held tig ..read more

By Jade Griffiths Yes, it is still true. Drinking alcohol is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. But what does this mean for those of us who like enjoying summer drinks with friends? Well, with this statistic in mind, we came up with five tips for navigating ‘patio season 2019’ alcohol-free.    1. Know how much is too much Okay, so, we know that having too many drinks can increase your breast cancer risk. But how much alcohol is too much and what’s the definition of a “drink” exactly? Well, according to the Canadian Cancer Society, even low levels of alcohol (as low as one drink a d ..read more

By Lisa Fisher I’m not sure why talking about reconstruction feels so personal and private to me, but it does. I should be used to it since I’ve been talking about my breasts for two years now. Truthfully, I’ve always felt a little more awkward talking about reconstruction. But being private about it doesn’t allow anyone else to understand what we have to go through and that understanding can make all the difference. Pre-diagnosis, if asked about breast reconstruction, I probably would have said I wouldn’t bother with such a big surgery just to have boobs. Having seen reconstruction surgeries ..read more

By: Melissa Blanchenay I am 44 years old. I get up every morning to the same ritual that I have had for almost 20 years. It goes like  this: open eyes, rise and run to bathroom, eliminate as much waste as possible, strip down naked, jump on the scale, hate or love myself depending on the feedback. This is followed by a full body inspection in the mirror. I twist to and fro, grabbing this roll, tugging that one, clapping the cellulite on my thighs and detesting the matronly arms and stretch marks I’ve had since middle school. I shimmy and shake and hang my head in despair. Then, I stare at my b ..read more

Name: Sarah Blackmore Age: 27 Occupation: Speech-Language Pathologist Age when diagnosed with breast cancer: 26 (two weeks before my 27th birthday, happy birthday to me!) Breast cancer type: ER+ PR- HER2+ Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Breast cancer stage: Stage 4 (Oligometastatic with two metastases to the sternum) Treatment: Aggressive treatment with curative intent. Eight rounds of chemotherapy, partial mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection, 25 rounds of radiation to chest and sternum, targeted therapy (Herceptin & Perjeta) every three weeks, daily Tamoxifen pill, monthly Lupro ..read more

Recently, I attended the Breast Cancer Symposium, a professional development conference for medical professionals who treat cancer patients; medical oncologists, surgeons, etc. This was the first year that patient advocates were invited to attend. Having patient representatives participate in these types of conferences can change the entire tone of the event since our priorities can differ from those of our doctors and it’s important to make them aware of that. There are many metastatic breast cancer patients who aren’t well enough to attend these types of events and advocate for themselves so ..read more

When I had my mastectomy in 2015 I was empowered, inspired and most of all I was proud to say “Goodbye, bras! I don’t need boobs to define who I am as a woman.” I was embracing the “Flat and Fabulous” life by declining breast reconstruction. The idea of going through reconstruction with either breast expanders or a hip to hip abdomen wound with one-year-old twins and a three-year-old hanging off my legs was a huge “no way” for me. I was not going to leave my girls for a five-day hospital stay or travel two and a half hours away for expander fillings. I wanted this to be over and done with quic ..read more

Here’s a good reason to tune in: music therapy can have a positive impact on your cancer care plan. We asked SarahRose Black, an accredited music therapist and registered psychotherapist to weigh in on all the benefits that music can bring no matter what age or stage you’re at in a cancer diagnosis.   Music is an inherent part of our lives From the everyday soundscapes that permeate our environment to the critical life events that punctuate our life stories, music plays varied and significant roles in almost all human cultures. Imagine the sounds that accompany your workday, your classroom, yo ..read more

By Lara Parsons When you think of the classic attitude that sickness or death will never happen to you, or that you are one of the lucky ones that haven’t been personally affected, that was never me. Since the age of five, cancer has been a very close relative to my family, always knocking on the doorstep and getting in the way like an annoying neighbour. At age 32, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She received chemotherapy, a lumpectomy and radiotherapy the first time around. Fate dealt her an extremely cruel hand, and by the time I was 28, she was battling her fourth and final acq ..read more