“ I was 37 years old when I found the lump... ” - Ashley Short, Cancer Survivor
...and was diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer. I was in complete shock when it was confirmed and I heard the words, “You have cancer.” You barely have time to absorb those words before treatment starts. And you want it to start as quickly as possible. Waiting is the worst. My mind would not stop racing. Am I going to live through this? Am I going to get to see my stepson grow up? My treatment was intense - first chemotherapy, then a double mastectomy, then radiation. It was such an uncertain time, and my life looked nothing like it had in the past. I could not work. I had to focus on completing my treatment and getting well. Without the compassionate care and treatment by the team at the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre and the amazing support of my family and friends, I wouldn’t be here. It truly takes a village to get through it and I’m forever grateful to have had access to the amazing care and support that I did.
Since that most challenging time, I have been blessed with the greatest gift - that of a new life. You know the saying - after the rain comes a rainbow - well, I am thrilled to share that my precious rainbow arrived on May 7, 2023 – Ella Ashtyn Elizabeth Waterman. This year, Ella and I will be participating in the Polka Dot Trot to raise funds to support cancer care and help other patients who are going through cancer right across the province. Over the past three years, our team - Forever Friends - has raised over $16,000 through this event, with more to come this year! We wanted to give back to others going through a cancer diagnosis, so we created this team to participate in the Polka Dot Trot, because one thing cancer can never take away is friendship!
In Photo: Jared, Ashley, Ella and Max at Polka Dot Trot.
EXECUTIVE MESSAGE
From the Cancer Care Foundation 1 in 2 people in Newfoundland and Labrador will be diagnosed with Cancer in their lifetime. The mission of the Cancer Care Foundation is to support excellence in cancer care, and this year’s Report to Our Donors focuses on how your donations have made an impact. Our ability to invest in these critical areas is only possible through your donations and partnering for cancer care. Although we are unable to highlight every donation we received last year in this report, please know that your generosity is greatly appreciated.
We are excited to highlight the return of Polka Dot Trot as an in-person event following two years of only a virtual gathering during the Covid-19 pandemic. We were overwhelmed with the outpouring of support by cancer patients and their families as we came together to walk together for cancer care. A key partnership for cancer care turned 20 this year! The Power of Life is a partnership with Newfoundland Power in support of cancer care that has raised over $5 million since its inception. Twenty years is an incredible
milestone.
Also, it’s a pleasure to highlight our investments to support the next generation of cancer care professionals thanks to your generous support. We have a lot of passion for the work we do at the Cancer Care Foundation, and so much of it comes directly from you, our donors. In this light, our fundraising and administrative expenses – the costs associated with running the Foundation – are managed carefully by our Board of Directors. Our goal is to provide our donors with measurable and impactful results for entrusting your donation to cancer care. Thank you for your ongoing support of cancer care in Newfoundland and Labrador!
Gary Smith, Chair Lynette Hillier, Executive Director
POLKA DOT TROT Back In Person
On October 16, 2022, the Polka Dot Trot returned as an in-person event at our new venue in Paradise Park. After two years of hosting a virtual event during the pandemic, we were overwhelmed to have over 600 participants registered to walk in support of cancer care…right here! Our sincere thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, Johnson Insurance, for renewing their support of the event along with all of our event day sponsors. Polka Dot Trot brings people together to make a connection and support cancer care in Newfoundland and Labrador – it truly was an incredible day!
NL BREAST CANCER Conference 2022
Thanks to the generous support of donors, 100 breast cancer survivors came together in November 2022 from all over the province for a weekend to attend the NL Breast Cancer Conference. This was the Foundation’s first year as Presenting Sponsor, but this very well-established event has been around for more than 20 years. It was a weekend full of valuable information, hope and inspiration. The love and support throughout the weekend led to many unforgettable moments. “The conference was very useful. It provided me with the information I had been seeking. I made connections and friendships that will last a lifetime. It was exactly what I needed. So uplifting and inspirational.” - 2022 Conference Participant
POWER OF LIFE CELEBRATES 20 Years of Supporting Cancer Care September 2022 marked the 20th Anniversary of Power of Life, a partnership between Newfoundland Power and the Cancer Care Foundation that has raised over $5 million in support of cancer patients and their families in our province. Through the generosity of Newfoundland Power’s employees, retirees and customers, Power of Life has helped to provide much-needed equipment to cancer centres across the province, including cuddle beds, blanket warmers, chemotherapy recliners, family comfort chairs and vital signs monitors.
In Photos: (Top) Newfoundland Power employees present a $15,000 cheque to the Patient & Family Support Fund; (Bottom) Paige London, VP Finance & CFO, Newfoundland Power speaks at a press conference celebrating 20 years of Power of Life.
To acknowledge and recognize this incredible milestone, Newfoundland Power employees donated $15,000 to the Cancer Care Foundation’s Patient and Family Support Fund. This meaningful donation covered the requests for assistance from cancer patients across the province who are facing financial difficulty as a result of a cancer diagnosis for the entire month of September 2022.
IN THIS TOGETHER Campaign Update
This Report to Our Donors covers the fiscal period of April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023. However, it is widely known that in June 2023, the Cancer Care Foundation celebrated the grand opening of the new chemotherapy unit at the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre with our partners at Newfoundland Labrador Health Services. This modern, bright and state of the art suite will serve cancer patients and their families for the next 30 years. The Cancer Care Foundation’s financial commitment to this project will finish at the end of the 2023-2024 fiscal year - concluding the $5 million campaign goal achieved by Campaign Chair, Karl Smith, and his team.
INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION
Liam Payne, Faculty of Medicine
of Cancer Care Professionals
Through your generous support, scholarships have been established at Memorial University in the faculties of Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. Through these scholarships, tomorrow’s leaders in oncology will be developed and supported. We are proud to share the recipients of the Faculty of Medicine scholarship was Liam Payne, and Carmen Wong for the Faculty of Nursing during the 2022/2023 fiscal year. The Pharmacy scholarship will be announced in October 2023.
Carmen Wong, Faculty of Nursing
FOUNDATION STAFF Lynette Hillier, Executive Director Email: lynette.hillier@easternhealth.ca Emily Geary, Senior Development Officer Email: emily.geary@easternhealth.ca Deborah McNiven, Financial Administrator Email: deborah.mcniven@easternhealth.ca Megan Ludlow, Development Officer Email: megane.ludlow@easternhealth.ca Danielle Poirier, Communications Designer Email: danielle.poirier@easternhealth.ca Jana-Lynn Mugford, Administrative Assistant
BOARD OF DIRECTORS For the Period Ending March 31, 2023 Gary Smith, Chair - Executive Vice President, Fortis Lynn Healey - Chief Executive Officer, Sequence Bio Janet March - Business Manager, Oil Heat Association NL Jennifer Williams - President & CEO, Newfoundland Labrador Hydro Adam Keating - CEO & Founder, Colab Software Gary Murray - President & CEO, Newfoundland Power Larry Vodden - HSSEA Director, Wood Group Steve Winter - Owner, Argyle Consulting Debbie Walsh - Vice President, Eastern Health Fred Chaytor - Associate Owner, Shoppers Drug Mart Robert Andrews - QC-Ex Officio, McInnes Cooper Law Office Andy Turnbull - Chief Executive Officer, Nunacor Development Corporation
Cancer Care Foundation • 300 Prince Philip Drive • St. John’s, NL A1B 3V6 Tel: (709) 777-7458 • www.cancercarefoundation.ca ON THE COVER: Cancer Patient, Ashley Short