Tuesday, October 22, 2024
St Joseph's Health Care London
BRA Day: Support and Knowledge to “Climb the Mountain”
Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day at St. Joseph’s Health Care London provides a sense of community and a safe place for women to learn about their options after mastectomy.
At a gathering of breast cancer survivors – a summer camp of sorts – Stephanie Knowles spotted a wooden trail post sign with the words: “Tell the story of the mountain you climbed. Your words could become a page in someone else’s survival guide.”
For 37-year-old Knowles, that motivational sign has pointed the way to Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day on Oct. 24 at St Joseph’s Health Care London (St Joseph’s), where she will talk about the mountain for those just starting the climb.
“Those words resonated deeply,” says Knowles. “A sense of community changed everything for me. It allowed me to see the light at the end of the tunnel - that I can do this. It was a real light bulb moment.”
Knowles will be a ‘model’ in the ‘show and tell’ lounge at BRA Day, where women generously volunteer to share their experience – and outcomes – with breast reconstruction following mastectomy. The sisterhood that emanates within the lounge is one of the most powerful components of the annual BRA
Day, where those who attend learn about the various breast reconstruction options from St Joseph’s surgeons. The lounge allows attendees to see real results and talk to women like Knowles.
The evening event will be held Oct. 24 at St. Joseph’s Hospital from 6 pm to 9 pm. It is free but registration is requested. The event includes:
- Exhibits/Informational displays
- Breast reconstruction presentation by surgeons
- Q&A period
- Show and Tell Lounge
When Knowles was going through her breast cancer journey, she didn’t have the opportunity to attend BRA Day at St. Joseph’s, where she was diagnosed in May 2023 with early stage, triple-negative breast cancer – an aggressive form of breast cancer known to grow rapidly and be more likely to spread. It would lead to chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction.
Her advice to those beginning the journey is to attend St. Joseph’s BRA Day – for the sense of community they may discover, a safe place to learn, and to find the courage they need to climb the mountain.
Read Knowles' full story on the St Joseph's website.
Media interviews are available in the days leading up to this event. Please contact:
Dahlia Reich, Communication Consultant
St Joseph’s Health Care London
519 646-6100 ext 65294 | Cell: 519 619-0971 | Pager 10117
dahlia.reich@sjhc.london.on.ca
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