May 28, 2012 Happy Birthday Sharon: TELUS Family Celebrates Sharon’s Life
My March 12th post sadly communicated the news of the passing of my TELUS colleague, Sharon North. Sharon succumbed to complications due to Breast Cancer on March 10, 2012 after a two-year-long courageous battle. Today, May 28th, is Sharon’s Birthday, Sharon would have been 41 – Sharon left us too soon.
While Sharon is no longer with us, Sharon had the best care possible and was also under the care of Dr. Stephen Chia who is one of few that are at the forefront of Breast Cancer research and treatments. Dr. Chia serves as Chair of the Breast Tumor Group of BC, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at UBC and serves as Chair of the Treatment of Working Group as part of CBCF’s 2020 Task Force who’s goal is of a future without the fear of Breast Cancer by 2020. This may be an unfamiliar phrase, a “Future Without Breast Cancer by 2020”. It means that by the year 2020, we will see a future where Breast Cancer is manageable, and is an easily treated disease. We can get to a point in the not-to-distant future where Breast Cancer will no longer be feared. Researchers have told the CBCF that we can get there. With many breakthroughs in recent years and more expected in the coming years my hope is that we can reduce the number of “Sharons” in the future and that we truly can realize a “Future Without Breast Cancer”.
With this hope in mind and wanting to take action against the numbness we all felt as team members from Sharon’s passing, Carissa and her team (the team that Sharon was part of before her diagnosis) were in need of an outlet to commemorate Sharon’s life and battle against Cancer. As you all are now overtly aware of my energy and passion around Breast Cancer advocacy, I reached out to Carissa and suggested that we co-lead a TELUS Day of Giving event that would be fitting to dedicate to Sharon.
The event was the CBCF Pink Ribbon Tying event that TELUS has sponsored for a number of years and that I serendipitously attended with by sons last year before my diagnosis was confirmed in September 2011. My plan was to lead one of these events this year and in the coming years in order to channel my experience, energies and passion to anyone attending this event.
As the emails floated between Carissa and myself, we quickly confirmed that this would be a perfect way to celebrate Sharon’s life, help the healing process for the teams that she was part of at TELUS, and to support the CBCF (Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation) with their important community awareness activities where the pink ribbons would be used.
Carissa connected me with my good friend, Nicole G. so that we had solid support to organize and execute the event. Together we used our talents, connections at TELUS and the CBCF to pull off the event. Our original attendee target was 60. However, it quickly became clear that we would need to increase this number. Overwhelmingly, our final count was 120 registered participants! I could go on and on about how amazing the day was, but the email thank yous from Nicole G., Patricia Chu (of the CBCF), myself and the pictures below tell the success story. The event was held on May 27th at our TELUS Kingsway location (the Brian Canfield Centre) – the day before Sharon’s birthday.
“Hello all,
Thanks once again for your amazing support at the pink ribbon tying event yesterday.
Through everyone’s hard work, we were able to tie 13,380 ribbons for the CBCF! These ribbons are instrumental in supporting the CBCF’s fundraising efforts throughout the year, and help propel us closer to our goal of a future without breast cancer by 2020.
It was wonderful to meet you all and share in your passion and commitment in such an important cause.
Best,
Nicole and Carmela”
“Dear TELUS day of Giving Participants,
Thank you so much for the time and effort that you have given to making the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Pink Ribbons. With these ribbons we are able to drive fundraising and show support to Survivors of Breast Cancer.
You have donated over 600 volunteer hours to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, creating over 13,000 ribbons and we truly appreciate what every minute given to us means. We truly treasure and appreciate your time and dedication to supporting the cause.
Thank you again for the support from the TELUS family, we couldn’t do this without you!
Katie Syroid
Manager, Volunteer Resources
Amanda McNally
Community Relations Coordinator
Rebekah Moen (Bull)
Development Manager
Patricia Chu
Fund Development Officer”
“Everyone (to our internal partners and volunteers – many of whom were last minute recruits),
As partners and volunteer support, I want to pass on thanks from Nicole and myself on the success of our Pink Ribbon Tying event that was held yesterday at The Brian Canfield Centre cafeteria (which is a perfect location for this type of event).
We were especially happy with the results as they were a fitting way of celebrating Sharon North and supporting the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
This event was supported by an extremely strong and positive partnership between our Team TELUS Cares/Community Investment/TDoG Teams, the TELUS Corporate Communications team (the team Sharon was working with before her leave), the TELUS Procurement team (the team Sharon worked with prior to Corporate Communications), HR Properties (Pat Hovey and her team), our CRE (Corporate Real Estate) team, various volunteers, the CBCF (Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation) team and the approximate 100 participants.
I am always energized when partnerships can be coordinated with enthusiasm, short notice support, fun and excellent results.
Please pass on our gratitude to your teams for helping make this a meaning and fun event for us, Sharon’s family, TELUS and the CBCF.
With many thanks,
Carmela and Nicole”
We were also fortune to have Sharon’s husband, family and friends attend the event. While we know, though emails from Sharon’s husband and family, that the event in the honor of Sharon touched them deeply, we are also respectful that it is still a difficult time for them.
In Carissa’s opening welcome, she indicated that Sharon also kept a blog of her experience with the “c-monster” and she often asked the question “what is this all supposed to mean?” While I cannot profess to know all that this is supposed to mean, I do know that the “swoosh” of love, support and hope that was felt in the room at the event will manifest itself into great things through each of us in ways we may not currently understand. I thank you Sharon for your courage and your life.
From the TELUS family and our families to yours Sharon, Happy Birthday – we miss you and you will always be in our thoughts.
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