Chatelaine / October 1997
Women who have made a difference
A number of dedicated, talented
women have devoted countless hours, talent and energy to fighting breast cancer
Carol Ann Cole and Jacki Ralph Jamieson are two who have dedicated their
considerable talent to raising money and awareness for breast cancer.
Carol Ann Cole
In January 1992, both Carol Ann Cole and her
mother were diagnosed with breast cancer. Carol Ann survived, her mother
did not. During her cancer journey, Carol Ann came across a small pewter
pendant, a ‘Worry Heart,” produced by
Oceanart Pewter in her home
province of Nova Scotia. She quickly renamed it “Comfort Heart,” once
she discovered its soothing effect during times of distress. Then a
vice-president at Bell Canada, Carol Ann decided to rechannel her talents
to fight cancer. Her goal: to raise $500,000 for cancer research, while
reaching out and providing support to women with cancer. Bell Canada
kick-started the program with a purchase of 3,000 hearts, which the
Canadian Cancer Society distributed to patients. Since then, CCS
volunteers and thousands of Canadians have joined Carol Ann in her efforts
to sell and distribute the hearts. (For example, employees at Nexacor, a
small Bell subsidiary, were so moved by the program that they raised more
than $20,000.) Each heart is sold for $10 with $6 going to cancer
research. Having recently reached her initial goal of $500,000, Carol Ann
and other “Comfort Heart” supporters are now working toward a goal of
$1 million. “Comfort Hearts” are available through your local Canadian
Cancer Society office and during October and November, at the jewelry
counter in Eaton’s stores across the country.
