The Northern Cancer Foundation, organizers of the Luncheon of Hope, have announced Jeanne Beker as the keynote speaker at the annual event, held this year on Nov. 14 at noon at the Caruso Club.
Beker is an acclaimed Canadian journalist, media personality and fashion entrepreneur. A release from the foundation and Luncheon of Hope committee state that Beker’s life has been full of adventure, “but none like the one she faced after her 70th birthday when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.”
Dedicated to normalizing conversations about cancer, Beker will be joining this year’s Luncheon of Hope presented by RBC Wealth Management to share her story with the community.
“The diagnosis came as a shock to me, but I knew that I could take this as an opportunity to educate and inspire others,” said Beker in the release. “Breast cancer is treatable when caught early, and having gone through this journey, I’ve come to the incredible realization of just how many people genuinely cared about my progress and were standing in my corner cheering me on.”
To date, the Luncheon of Hope has raised more than $1.1 million to help support the purchase of specialized breast cancer equipment and to fund breast cancer research, which has directly benefited patients at the Shirley and Jim Fielding Northeast Cancer Center at Health Sciences North.
“The Shirley and Jim Fielding Northeast Cancer Centre has seen over 1,800 breast cancer patients from across Northeastern Ontario in the last year,” said Anthony Keating, president and chief data officer of the Foundations and Volunteer Groups at Health Sciences North. “We are thankful to our community for supporting this event in order to make a difference for breast cancer patients and their families these last 25 years, today and into the future,”
The Luncheon has thrived over the years thanks to passionate committee members like Meri-Lynn Butler who joined the Luncheon of Hope Committee in 2009 after a close friend of hers had lost her battle with breast cancer.
“We had always attended the Luncheon, and I saw getting involved as an opportunity to honour her,” said Butler in the release. “The committee is made up of unstoppable volunteers, and the funds raised impact not only our family and neighbours, but those far beyond our community here in Sudbury.”
Tickets are $75 each, or $600 for a table of eight. For additional information or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact [email protected].
