On Saturday June 3, 2017 the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation held their 1st conference on "Life after Breast Cancer". As soon as I received the email information I immediately knew that I wanted to go and hear and share what other women have gone through and the women who are presently going through it. I knew that I needed to share this experience with someone, and the first person I thought of was Natascia who has recently begun her own personal journey with breast Cancer.
The event was held at the Montreal Symphony Center (Place des Arts), I would say we were about 200 attendees, mostly women but some men as well. The conference was divided in 3 themes throughout the day:
1. Life after Breast Cancer: which was discussed by 3 professionals. The topic was focused on after the treatments, our fears, recurrence, anxiety, neuropathy and the importance of physical activity. Anyone having gone through a life altering experience can and probably will experience all of them, but how we learn to either cope or get passed it is what is key. We are all different individuals and our healing process varies. I can say for myself, having gone through many curves in my life and this being at the top of the list with my daughters disability it is very easy to hit rock bottom. What I did learn is that we are the only ones who can pick ourselves off the rock and slowly accept our new life. It is not easy, in fact it is extremely difficult, there is daily neuropathy pain in my case fibromyalgia, something I will have to live with the rest of my life, a constant reminder of my breast cancer. Recently there was a loss in my family and his loss I believe changed my thinking very quickly, we are fragile beings and tomorrow is unknown at any age. That made me realize that I needed to stop focusing on what if and focus on what is.
2. Research and Patient Services: discussed by 2 doctors in the prospect of informing on how important clinical studies are. Although here in Canada we are quite behind in medical advancement, in part by Health Canada and lack of funding. Our medial teams are strong willed and passionate about concluding the studies and allowing patients to receive a more personalized treatment for Breast Cancer. We all see how much money is being donated and why is there no cure or there is a cure and are they hiding it. There is no way for any of us to ever know the truth but just look around at how many women used to die from Breast Cancer 20 years ago as opposed to today. 1 in 9 women will develop breast cancer in their life, everyone's hope is that it disappears.
3. Scientific Advancements: WOW, this was a panel of 3 spectacular doctors but one in particular stood out Dr. Té Vuong, she is the director at the Segal Cedar's Cancer Center (Jewish General Hospital) Radio-oncology. If you have a chance to look her up, her research is a mere 2 years away from patient clinical trial. She will change the way that cancers are treated, less invasive, less side effects than chemo therapy and destruction of the cancer molecule.
4. Dr. Richard Beliveau and Mitsou: for anyone who does not know him, go research him, he is phenomenal. Mitsou is the spokesperson for the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation and a very humble woman who is very passionate for the cause. DR. Beliveau explains how our life choices are detrimental to preventing or lowering our risk of developing cancer. He explained that the fear all breast cancer patients have of Soya or estrogen based foods is nonsense. There is no proven fact or publishing's that incorporating Soya into your diet will increase chance of recurrence. In short, what we put into our stomachs is what we must be aware of, but there are many environmental factors as well. Also, a strong point he made is that our intake of nutrients and vitamins must always come from food and not a pill.
What did I take from my day at the conference, well basically in a nutshell we are the only ones who can control our body and mind, if we plant seeds, water them and nurture them they will grow beautiful and healthy. If on the other hand we plant seeds but keep them in the shade and give water occasionally, they will not grow or get sick quickly. There is also the genetic factor, and not necessarily hereditary.
It was a great experience, and I will definitely return next year May 4-5, 2018 at Palais des Congres.
Thank you Natascia for accompanying me, we both came out of it a little wiser.
On that note, I have been home for 1 year and 4 months and it is time to get myself back to the office....tomorrow back to work.
Franca 😘
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