Canadian Living - February 1998
by Frank Armstrong\
Heartbeats
Celebrating neighbours who make a difference
Brave Hearts
Halifax
- In January 1992 Carol Ann Cole, 51, and her mother, Mary. were diagnosed with
breast cancer. Her mother died and she survived. Cole vowed to fight the
disease but she didn't know how until she discovered Worry Hearts in the Nova
Scotia gift shop Oceanart Pewter.
She gave 117 of the silver-dollar sized pewter heart pendants to fellow cancer
survivors before calling the shop. I said, "I'd like you to change the name of
your Worry Heart to Comfort Heart, repackage it and dedicate it to my mother's
memory. I'd like you to pay for all of that and give your net proceeds to
(cancer research)." The shop agreed without hesitation. General manager Linda
Power is a two-time cancer survivor. Over 70,000 Comfort Hearts have been
sold, raising more than $750,000. The pendants are now also available through
the Canadian Cancer Society. Cole is cancer-free but expects she'll spar with
the disease again due to the prevalence of cancer in her family. But, she says,
"I'd beat it again because I'm strong and aggressive now."
