Who’s Who on the Breast Cancer Scene: Willow Breast Cancer Support & Resource Services

By Alison Burke, Willow

Last Updated: Mar 2, 2006
Articles & News : Articles : Who's Who on the Breast Cancer Scene

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www.willow.org

Willow provides thousands of people diagnosed with breast cancer across Canada with support, resources and information services, enabling them to negotiate their way through a difficult health care system and make challenging decisions about treatment and care, at no cost.

More and more Canadians are now living with breast cancer. As a result there is a greater need for breast cancer support, resources and information services. At Willow we understand that while others continue to work to find a cure, there is a void and need for emotional support today. As new breakthroughs are made available, Willow will always be able to provide you with up to date information on these treatment options, empowering you to make the decisions that are right for you.

At Willow you will always speak with trained support staff, all of whom are breast cancer survivors, who understand your specific situation and can share their experiences and hard-learned lessons. Our support staff use Willow’s Resource Library, one of the largest Resource and Information Libraries in North America, to research and provide critical information specific to each unique question and mail one-of-a-kind packages containing pertinent information for each individual situation and diagnosis. Willow’s Resource Library is the most current and comprehensive patient-focused library on breast cancer in Canada with more than 1000 books, video and audiotapes; over 3,000 articles on 275 topics related to breast cancer; and access to on-line databases.

How Willow Can Help You:

Willow’s Support Line - At Willow you will always speak with trained support staff, all of whom are breast cancer survivors, who understand your specific situation and can share their experiences and hard-learned lessons. Call us. We can help you.  1.888.778.3100

Willow’s Breast Cancer Support Network gives those diagnosed with breast cancer the fundamental knowledge and tools needed to start and continue running survivor-led breast cancer support groups in their own community, wherever they may live across Canada. Facilitator Training Workshops and additional resources are available by contacting Willow’s Breast Cancer Support Network.  If you want to start a breast cancer support group in your community and have questions like the ones below, please call Willow’s Breast Cancer Support Network.  We can answer all your questions!

• Whose permission do I need?
• What are the first steps?
• How will acquire the skills I need?
• Who do I call if I run into problems?

The Psycho-Social Role of Health Care Professionals n Breast Cancer Care is an interactive educational seminar designed by Willow.  It is provided free of charge by Willow’s Education Coordinator, Sue Wright, a breast cancer survivor trained in peer support. The goal is to enhance the capacity of nurses, doctors and radiation therapists to respond more effectively to the needs of individuals diagnosed with breast cancer by making them aware of resources and strategies that can facilitate their psycho-social role.

Coping with your Financial Concerns is an original Willow publication to assist people diagnosed with breast cancer deal with the possible financial strain during or after treatment and recovery.  Visit www.willow.org to download the guide specific to your province or call Willow toll free at 1.888.778.3100.

Living: A Newsletter for People Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer is a tri-annual publication written by women living with metastatic breast cancer. The stories provide supportive and factual information from a personal perspective.  Living is available at www.willow.org under ‘publications’.

What’s new at Willow…
Storytelling Circle – Willow invites you to share your story about breast cancer. Whether you are diagnosed with breast cancer, or you have supported someone who is, we want to hear from you. Visit www.willow.org to share or simply read what others have written.

Young Women’s Breast Cancer Support Network – As a means of continuing to support communities and women active in breast cancer self help groups, Scotiabank Group approved additional funding for Willow’s Network Program in January. As well as allowing the network to continue providing Facilitator Training Workshops across Canada, this new funding will enable the Network Program to take the first steps in a four stage plan to develop a ‘Young Women’s Breast Cancer Support Network’.

Eat to the Beat – Willow’s signature fundraising event will take place this year on Tuesday, September 26 at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto. In 2005 more than 850 people enjoyed food samples prepared by 60 of Ontario’s finest women chefs, raising over $250,000 for Willow. To date through Eat to the Beat Willow has raised more than $2 Million to help fund our services.

Willow’s History
Founded in 1994, Willow Breast Cancer Support & Resource Services is the first and only national breast cancer organization continuously providing thousands who are diagnosed with the best support, resources and information services available, enabling them to make challenging decisions about treatment and care, at no cost.

Willow was founded after a National Forum on Breast Cancer in 1993 revealed statistics garnered from a survey of breast cancer survivors. They expressed their personal challenges while battling the disease and the importance of speaking with other women going through or having gone through the similar experience of breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and life afterwards.

The Willow founders, including Sally Armstrong, June Callwood, Anne Rochon Ford, Sharon Hampson, Lou Hawkes, Pat Kelly, Janet Maher, Diane Richler, Anne Swarbrick and Sandy Wise, quickly organized a fundraiser to help them set up shop. The Launch of Our Lives was attended by more than 900 people and raised the required funds to open the first breast cancer support service in Canada on Queen Street East in Toronto.

Within two short years, Willow established an Ontario-wide toll-free support line and trained its first group of Peer Support Volunteers, all breast cancer survivors, to field all calls and questions.

1996 also saw the founding of what would become Willow’s most successful, long running fundraiser called Eat to the Beat by Lisa and Abby Slater. In just 10 years, Eat to the Beat has grown and featured some of the top women chefs from across Canada. This year Eat to the Beat will take place on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at Roy Thompson Hall. For ticket information visit our website at www.willow.org.

During the next two years Willow continued its development by establishing the Breast Cancer Support Network for Ontario which began promoting the creation of peer support groups and offered training workshops to assist women in starting these much desired groups. Willow also developed a break through teaching tool called the Psychosocial Role of Health Care Professionals in Breast Cancer Care which continues to be taught to nursing students across Ontario today.

On July 12, 1999 Willow went national offering its unique services to all Canadians dealing with the emotional challenges of breast cancer through its 1.888.778.3100 national toll-free line.

That same year Willow launched its first edition of Coping with Your Financial Concerns, enabling breast cancer patients the opportunity to research and find financial help specific to their individual needs.

Today, Willow continues to flourish, offering services to the Francophone and Lesbian communities. Willow also publishes Living, a newsletter for people living with metastatic breast cancer. For more information on these publications and further detail regarding our services, visit Willow’s comprehensive website at www.willow.org.

For more information regarding Willow’s many support and educational services across Canada call us toll free at 1-888-778-3100 or visit www.willow.org.

Willow Breast Cancer Support & Resource Services
20 Victoria St., 5th floor
Toronto, ON M5C 2N8
416.778.6314

Helping you today for a better tomorrow!

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