Today, we see that approximately one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. A statistic that sends a chill down one’s spine and calls for greater awareness. This year, Bota Bota is proudly partnering with the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation to shine a light on this issue and raise awareness within its community.

When a diagnosis enters everyday life

“It will be a year in a week.” Natalie Emond, Director of Customer Experience at Bota Bota, is sitting behind her computer screen, from where she speaks to me. Her short hair bears witness to her journey, while outside, the snow continues to fall. “I discovered a lump in my right breast,” she recalls. “I’m close to menopause and my body is changing. It took me two months before I went to see my doctor.”

This is a reality for many people, including Isabelle Patenaude, Director of Development for the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation. Six years ago, while pregnant with her second child, she did not immediately notice the changes in her breasts. “During pregnancy, you completely lose your bearings because your breasts change so much.”

Since that discovery, Natalie has come to see her days differently. “The hardest part isn’t the treatments. It’s the waiting. Waiting for real life.” She tells me about the before and after the diagnosis. The moments of limbo, time standing still, and all the unanswered questions that come with it. “Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis is the equivalent of a tsunami, for the woman herself as well as for her family and loved ones,” explains Isabelle.

Support beyond medical care

Natalie stopped working a year ago, a year that feels both unbearably long and incredibly short to her. “A year ago feels like it was just yesterday!” She finds comfort in her family and friends daily. Still, she knows that while her life is on pause, it doesn’t mean everyone else’s is.

The Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation was created to help people in the same situation as Natalie. “It was my own diagnosis that led me to work at the Foundation,” Isabelle shares. “What motivates me is being able to offer support and services to women throughout this entire journey.”

She feels a certain pride in being able to fill several gaps left by the current healthcare system.
“Around a diagnosis, there are issues related to mental health, family organization, and financial insecurity as well.” These collateral effects are addressed by the Foundation, among other ways, through its partnerships, donations, and fundraising efforts.

A shared reality

Bota Bota employs 88 women, representing 60% of its workforce. If the statistic that one in eight women is affected holds true, this serves as a vital wake-up call for us all. The disease is real and affects everyone.

“My relationship with time has changed. I celebrate victories now; my sense of gratitude is different.” With emotion, Natalie shares the kindness, gentleness, and professionalism of her medical team; key assets in getting through this complex chapter, with love and kindness.

Bota Bota will donate $5 to the Foundation for every massage or treatment provided Monday through Thursday, October 19–29. Support the cause and book your visit: botabota.ca/en/reservation/

To learn more about the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation, visit: rubanrose.org