This photo of Feather Janz and her children won second place in the ‘Paint Canada Pink’ contest, held as a promotion for CIBC’s Run for the Cure 2007. Janz has been battling breast cancer for more than a decade. The Janz Family Benefit Concert, featuring husband Chris and several siblings, was held September 21 in Abbotsford. On her weblog, Feather states: “We may not see the reason behind things, and we may never know this side of heaven – but God is always in control.” At her website, FeatherJanz.com, she writes about her ongoing campaign.

WHEN I began to share my breast cancer experience with others, I noticed immediately that what I had to say was going to change how they would approach their own breast health. Women I talked to started to take responsibility for their own breast health, by doing their own breast self-examinations, going for their annual physicals and getting their mammograms done, according to the guidelines that they set up with their doctors. I realized that what I had to say was going to make a difference!

I became passionate about fighting this devastating disease. I began my fight by learning everything I could about breast cancer. I found that with the knowledge I gained, I was able to find hope. Hope is the strongest weapon that I have found in fighting disease. I became more and more passionate about sharing this hope and with it the knowledge that I had gained.

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I didn't want other women to wait to be informed about breast cancer until they themselves were diagnosed. I also stand as a survivor, as living proof that early detection, knowledge and hope saves lives.

I joined up with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation because they shared my mission, that lives could be saved through research, education, diagnosis and treatment. When I speak, I tend to focus on the importance of educating all women, because I know it will help to bring them the hope that I found.

A fear that most women have is finding a lump. This fear can also be what motivates a woman to find the lump, before it becomes life threatening. Then there is hope.

I know that my voice, my story and my face are in the minority, but I have noticed that the majority of women listen, realize and start to take seriously that they too are at risk. They are then motivated and inspired to do all that they can to care for their own breast health.

I encourage all men and women to do their part in the fight against breast cancer, and I will continue to do mine.

This disease can be beaten; there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Knowledge brings hope, and hope brings victory.

October 2007