Books & Other Stuff

Before 2006 (in other words – before breast cancer) I knew absolutely nothing about cancer except what I saw on TV which was usually all pretty scary.  I did not even know what the word “cancer” meant.  Of course that all changed in August of 2006 and I had to learn about things as they came up.  Just when I thought I had some things figured out there would be a whole new bunch of things to learn about.

Here are some of the books I read that I found very helpful:

Cancer is a Word Not a Sentence - Dr. Robert Buckman

Dr.Susan Love's Breast Book

Life in the Balance - Dr. Marla Shapiro

The Intelligent Patient Guide to Breast Cancer
 - Ivo Olivotto, Karen Gelmon, Dr. Kathleen Pritchard

I also spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out why this happened to me and what the purpose might be.  I have still had no great epiphany except that maybe I was meant to share what I have experienced and learned so that it might help somebody else.  Who knows?

When I went back to work at the Assembly of First Nations after all of my treatments and surgeries, I was moved to the Health Secretariat and given the cancer portfolio.  Apparently I had become the in-house expert.  I had much to learn and I still do.   However, I have been able to participate in various initiatives over these past few years and I am always willing to lend a patient perspective whenever it might be needed.  Just ask!

Here are some of the cancer-related things that I have participated in over the past few years:

• February 2009 – Joined the Members Council of the Canadian Cancer Action Network (CCAN)
• March 2009 - Prepared and presented to the National Forum on First Nations, Inuit and Métis Cancer Control
• June 2009 – Published an article in the AFN Health Bulletin
• June 2009 – Videotaped an interview for Cancerview Canada online series “The Truth of It”
• September 2009 - Participated in a clinical study for Ottawa Hospital (breast tissue due to chemo pre-surgery)
• September 2009 - Elected to the Canadian Cancer Action Network Board of Directors
• October 2009 – Participated in the Sunnybrook Hospital research study (understanding medication-taking of breast cancer patients on anti-hormonal therapy)
• October 2009 - Attended and participated in a Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health sharing circle on cancer for the creation of a theatre production
• November 2009 - Prepared an abstract and poster presentation and attended the International Cancer Control Congress in Cerbobbio, Italy
• December 2010 – Videotaped a module for the CCAN online Patient Voice Rep E-Learning Program
• Spring 2010 - wrote an abstract for the Healing Our Spirit Worldwide conference and the Public Health Agency of Canada conference
• Fall 2006, 2011 & 2012 - Run for the Cure fundraising
• October 2012 – patient voice media contact for report on breast cancer surgery by the Canadian Institute for Health Information and the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer
• October 2012 – interviewed for the CIHI online newsletter
• December 2012 - wrote a blog post for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation's Finding Hope Blog for the Run for the Cure
• December 2012 - wrote a short piece for the Canadian Cancer Society's Fearless Project
• December 2012- this blog linked to Canadian Partnership Against Cancer's Cancerview Canada website; Canadian Cancer Society via the Cancerconnection.ca website; and introduced  on the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation facebook page and twitter feed
• January 2013 - this blog was linked to the Canadian Cancer Action Network facebook page and website