Perhaps it was her experience as a broadcaster with the weather network, but Kim knew she was in the eye of the storm before anyone else saw it coming.
“It was obvious it was cancer.” She says through her TV-ready smile, “I had all of the symptoms. My breast had gone completely hard. I had a rash. My nipples started to retract – everything you hear that is ‘bad news’ started happening to me. And quickly.”
But her journey to diagnosis wasn’t fast at all. For over 3 years, Kim’s dense, cyst-prone breasts had flagged potential problems, resulting in close monitoring, ultrasounds, mammograms and many follow ups. It became so common she wasn’t worried anymore.
Then in Feb 2016, her oncologist confirmed her latest lump was just a cyst, drained it and sent her on her way. By September, things turned for the worse; her symptoms became obvious, but the process to diagnosis wasn’t. “I tried to go right to my surgeon, but had to get a referral. Then an ultrasound. And a mammogram – when you could just look at me and know I had it.” She remembers.
On Dec 1, 2016, she got her diagnosis: Stage 2b Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, HER2+. Things started to move quickly from there. Testing had revealed Kim’s tumour was 10cm – the size of a baseball – and would require chemotherapy to shrink it before surgery. She decided to “forget Christmas” and start right away, beginning 8 rounds of chemotherapy every 2 weeks for 4 months, on December 16th. If that wasn’t enough to endure, because of her HER2+ diagnosis, between treatments, she underwent surgery to have a port put in her chest to receive Herceptin injections.
While, as Kim puts it, ‘a quick surgery when I was feeling ok for a couple days’ isn’t what any chemo patient looks forward to, it’s a reminder of how research is working – Herceptin has been available in Canada only since 2000, and has proven to be a fierce fighter against certain breast cancers.
After treatment, Kim prepared herself for surgery. “A double mastectomy was a clear choice for me,” she says, thankful for her time in chemotherapy to really think about her options. “I didn’t want it to come back if I could do something preventative.” So Kim advocated for herself, undergoing the surgery followed by radiation treatment.
Now adorned with a stunning sunflower tattoo across her chest, Kim’s remarkable story is a reminder of the importance of research. “If I had cancer 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have made it. If it weren’t for the discovery of Herceptin, I wouldn’t be here today, 5 years later,” she says with gratitude. With your help, we can provide much needed funds for researchers to help make cancer an illness, instead of a life-threatening disease. Please donate today.
When you support Breast Cancer Canada, you are helping to improve and save lives through better treatments and early detection of breast cancer.
The more money we raise, the sooner we can end breast cancer. Join us on our mission to end breast cancer.
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When you support Breast Cancer Canada, you are helping to improve and save lives through better treatments and early detection of breast cancer.
Learn more about
Donating securities is becoming more popular, and supports Breast Cancer Canada just like cash donations. Gifts of publicly traded securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds) are an easy, tax-effective way to make a contribution towards life-saving research that helps with early detection, better treatments, and ultimately Securities can be of any size and given immediately, or you can bequeath them to Breast Cancer Canada in your will. Just like a cash donation, you’ll get a donation tax credit for your gift of securities.
Today, most securities are held electronically and are easily transferred from your brokerage account to our BCC brokerage account. Your Financial Advisor can make all the arrangements.
For more information, contact Natalina Hamilton: hello@breastcancerprogress.ca
Bravery is beautiful. That’s why we encourage you to make a donation in honour of a loved one’s own experience with breast cancer. With your donation, we’ll send a email to acknowledge the dedication to the individual or family.
Make a donation with eCard by dedicating your donation:
Multiply the impact of your donation
Fact: thousands of companies will match donations made by employees.
It’s true, and it’s very generous. Want to know if your company will match your donation to BCC? Use the search tool below. It also has access to all the forms, guidelines, and instructions you need to submit a company-matchable gift donation today.
Support life-saving breast cancer research every month of the year.
When you make a monthly contribution to Breast Cancer Canada, you provide stable funding for year-round campaigning and allow us to continue to support research projects across Canada.
To join, simply pre-authorize a monthly deduction from your credit card.
Breast Cancer Canada, National Office
415 Exmouth Street Unit # 101
Sarnia, ON N7T 8A4
You will need to provide us the credit card type, number and expiry date, and the amount you would like to give each month.
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Over the last 30 years, many generous donors have left a legacy to Breast Cancer Canada in efforts to advance breast cancer research.
No matter what the form of your gift, you will be remembered by your legacy which will live on through each of the lives you touch with your gift.
Learn more about
Leave a legacy. Plan for a future gift.
Support Breast Cancer Canada with a future gift to create a better future for breast cancer patients. Your gift helps to save lives through early detection and improve outcomes with better treatments.
or more information, please contact Natalina Hamilton: hello@breastcancerprogress.ca
LEAVE A GIFT IN YOUR WILL
This is often called a bequest. It’s the simplest way to make a legacy gift. A gift in your will has no effect on your current income and your estate receives a charitable donation tax receipt. Here’s a sample of simple bequest wording : “To pay the sum of $_________ OR _______% of the residue of my estate to Breast Cancer Canada.”
DONATING A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY
Life insurance is a way to provide financial security for your family. If the needs of your family are already taken care of, a life insurance policy is a smart way to donate to charity including tax savings for your estate. Speak to your financial advisors for your personalized advice and learn how a gift of life insurance can work for you. Here’s the top-line on ways of leaving gifts of life insurance:
Bequeath your policy to Breast Cancer Canada for the future:
Transfer ownership of a paid-up policy to Breast Cancer Canada now:
Transfer ownership of a policy on which premiums are still owing to BCC now:
DONATE A TFSA, RRSP, RRIF
Register a significant difference in the lives of those affected by breast cancer. Donate the proceeds of a registered account: Tax-free savings account (TFSA); Registered retirement savings plan (RRSP); Registered retirement income fund (RRIF). It’s a smart way to make a major contribution. Without reducing your current assets. Without subjecting the funds to probate fees. While reducing taxes on your estate through a donation receipt.
Making a gift like this is easy. Designate Breast Cancer Canada as the beneficiary of your registered account. You benefit from the full use of your account(s) during your lifetime. We receive any remaining funds after your passing.
For more information, contact Natalina Hamilton: hello@breastcancerprogress.ca
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Support life-saving breast cancer research. A corporate donation is a simple and efficient way to demonstrate your corporate support.
To make a one-time or reoccurring corporate donation online, please click here.
Learn more about
Thinking about becoming a corporate partner of Breast Cancer Canada? Amazing. work with all types of organizations. We’ll help you deliver results which are measurable. National or local.
A partnership with Breast Cancer Canada is a win-win. It improves employee engagement, boosts morale, fosters a tighter culture. It raises your organization’s profile and demonstrates your support for breast cancer research. To customers. To employees. To suppliers. Most of all – it makes a positive impact for those affected directly by breast cancer.
We’ll raise money for life-saving breast cancer research, together.
Let’s talk about building your program!
Contact Dawn Hamilton today to get started.
Email: hello@breastcancerprogress.ca
Phone: 1-800-567-8767
To make an online corporate donation, please click here.
How to
Make a contribution to a fundraiser being held in support of Breast Cancer Canada. You can search for the organization or person you wish to support; or click on the event name to make a general donation to the Raise More initiative of your choice.
How to
Thinking about becoming a corporate partner of Breast Cancer Canada? Amazing. We work with all types of organizations. We’ll help you deliver results which are measurable. National or local.
A partnership with Breast Cancer Canada is a win-win. It improves employee engagement, boosts morale, fosters a tighter culture. It raises your organization’s profile and demonstrates your support for breast cancer research. To customers. To employees. To suppliers. Most of all – it makes a positive impact for those affected directly by breast cancer.
We’ll raise money for life-saving breast cancer research, together.
Let’s talk about building your program!
Contact Charlene Politano today to get started.
Email: cpolitano@breastcancerprogress.ca
Phone: 1-800-567-8767 or 416-352-8567
To make an online corporate donation, please click here.
If you would like to explore other ways to give, we invite you to learn more.
How to
Join the Raise More Challenge
The more money we raise, the sooner we can end breast cancer. The more time researchers have in the lab. The more technology they can use. The more support we can get. Advancements in early detection and personalized treatment are in reach, and with your help to raise funds, we can find a cure sooner.
There are many ways to fundraise – whether you want to create a competition or tournament, fundraise with your team, challenge your colleagues, host a pink party, have a bake sale or cook-off, the idea is to raise more for breast cancer research.
Breast Cancer Canada will empower you with all the tools you need for a successful fundraiser, and if you need more information, contact Dawn Hamilton at: dhamilton@breastcancerprogress.ca
How to
Volunteers are Breast Cancer Canada’s most important resource, and the backbone of our organization. From helping build our PROgress research to helping breast cancer patients, to supporting events, special fundraising projects and administrative tasks, our volunteers are dedicated to making a positive, life-changing impact.
We ensure our volunteers have the best possible experience and apply the Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement.
You can help us end breast cancer by:
Learn more about our volunteer driven Regional Hubs.
Regional Hubs are an integral part of Breast Canada Canada. We connect communities and those committed to our mission to make the goal local. Together, we can save lives through advancing breast cancer research, coast to coast.
Connect to learn more about what is happening in your area: volunteer@breastcancerprogress.ca
