Breakfast supports YMCA Strong Kids Campaign
Apr 29, 2011 - 02:36 PM
COBOURG -- There is more to life than climbing the corporate ladder, a professional speaker and cancer survivor discovered after leaving a career as a vice president.
Carol Ann Cole is the featured speaker for the YMCA Northumberland Healthy @ Your Y Breakfast to support YMCA Strong Kids on Thursday, May 12, at 7:30 a.m. The healthy, fresh breakfast and talk will be at the Dalewood Golf and Curling Club. Ms. Cole is a bestselling author, member of the Order of Canada, a professional speaker and the founder of a national fundraiser.
In 1992, Ms. Cole and her mother Mary were diagnosed with breast cancer within days of each other. After a 27-year career climb from typist to become one of the first female vice presidents with Bell Canada in 1989, Ms. Cole decided to make a change.
"I wanted to write books, I wanted to move back east to Nova Scotia...I knew if I stayed in a corporate boardroom and worked 20 hours a day it wasn't going to happen," said Ms. Cole, who grew up in the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia.
Her mother died in December of 1992 and Ms. Cole returned to work but left her job soon after.
"I can honestly say from the day I walked out of there I had no regrets," she said.
Ms. Cole said she will share her life story and some of the things she has learned over the years at the breakfast.
"I have learned a lot of lessons and I am old enough to talk about what didn't work so well," said Ms. Cole.
One of her biggest lessons came with the difficult decision to leave her job.
"I learned that having a job is not the same thing as having a life," she said.
Stress likely played a role in her cancer diagnosis, she said, but she has a "horrific" family history of breast cancer. She was the youngest in the family to be diagnosed and in 2008 she was diagnosed with breast cancer again.
"That one hit me kind of hard, I had been 16 years cancer free," said Ms. Cole adding now at three years cancer free, life is good. She moved back to Toronto in 2007 to be closer to her only sonš This is Ms. Cole's first talk with the YMCA but she hopes not the last.
"I love giving back that way and hopefully being part of a good fundraiser," said Ms. Cole.
Ms. Cole's presentations speak to corporate life and the balance with home life. She addresses change, teamwork, leadership, communication, humour, image, self esteem, career, lifestyle and how to stay motivated in all that you do.
In addition to public speaking, Ms. Cole has authored bestselling books -- 'If I Knew Then What I Know Now' was published in the fall of 2009, 'Lessons Learned Upside the Head' in 2006 and 'Comfort Heart a Personal Memoir' in 2001. She has received numerous awards including the Golden Jubilee Medal, the elite Maclean's Honour Roll, and the Terry Fox Citation of Honour. She is profiled in 'Canadian Who's Who', and in the 2005 edition of '1000 Great Women of the 21st Century' published by the American Biographical Institute in Raleigh, North Carolina.
As the founder of the Comfort Heart Initiative, Ms. Cole has helped to raise more than $1.5 million for cancer research and has put over 245,000 Comfort Hearts, a pewter charm, in the hands of people all over the world. She also volunteers as 'writer in residence' with the Good Neighbours' Club in downtown Toronto - a day shelter for homeless men.
All proceeds from the Healthy @ My Y Breakfast support the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign. YMCA Strong Kids ensures everyone can belong to the YMCA and that children get off the couch and away from the TV, computer and electronic games and into active programs that give them opportunities to be fit, healthy, learning and growing. YMCA Strong Kids provides financial assistance programs for over 1,600 children, families and individuals throughout Northumberland to participate in YMCA programs, Day Camp and Child Care.
Tickets are $45 and are on sale at the Cobourg YMCA, 339 Elgin St. W., Cobourg. Tables of eight can only be reserved ahead.