Kimberley Wahamaa-Deschenes, wife, mother and grandmother, is in her prime.
The operations and events manager, who recently turned 59, is enjoying her life, embracing her potential and doing things she always wanted to do and some things she couldn’t have imagined 11 years ago when she was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer.
Receiving the news was a life-changing experience for the energetic and outgoing woman who has worked in the film and television industry, marketing and special events planning.
She had a demanding job as the events manager for the Northern Ontario Business Awards program when she learned she had breast cancer.
“On April Fool’s Day, I found a lump the size of a ping pong ball on my left breast. No joke,” she said.
While still undergoing treatments, Wahamaa-Deschenes became an advocate for breast cancer awareness and fundraised for medical research. In the years after her recovery, she took on new career opportunities, met her soulmate and got married, and became a grandmother.
Most recently Wahamaa-Deschenes was invited to address the Status of Women committee in Ottawa about the need for the federal government to direct provinces and territories to fund routine mammograms starting at age 40.
OHIP has started to cover mammograms for women in their 40s this fall but that is not the case across Canada.
The Ontario Breast Screening Program recommends mammograms every two years for women 50 to 74. After 75, people who choose to get tested need a referral for a mammogram from a doctor or nurse practitioner.
Wahamaa-Deschenes was invited to speak in Ottawa on Oct. 9 by Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré, the only man on the 11-person committee.
“I was very honoured and nervous. I was given five minutes to speak. There were all these cameras, monitors and translators. I had to focus on my Toastmaster’s experience and yoga breathing.”
She asked the Parliament committee, “Why should there be a minimum age barrier for mammogram testing? Wouldn't more lives be saved if the test was made available to people regardless of age? What if the focus, instead, was on providing more education to increase awareness, self-examinations and early testing?”
Check out the full presentation here.
She said many members of the committee were moved to tears when she spoke about a 28-year-old mother who died of breast cancer. Early detection may have extended her life.
Early detection saves health-care dollars. It cost less to treat Stage 1 breast cancer than more advanced stages, she said.
Wahamaa-Deschenes told the committee, “Eleven years ago, with 11 months of treatment, under the age of 50 and with no family history of breast cancer, my life changed forever. I asked myself, ‘Will I survive this diagnosis? What can I do?’ ”
She created the Trust Your Bust fund through the Northeast Cancer Centre and raised more than $18,000 at special events, such as an afternoon tea and a Halloween party. Funds went to breast cancer research, awareness and support for families.
She produced the 2014 Trust Your Bust Calendar of Hope featuring the stories 12 women and one man. Approximately 220 Canadian men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year.
Wahamaa-Deschenes is currently the operations and events manager with Northern Ontario Angels. The non-profit organization connects investors to entrepreneurs looking for growth capital and investments. Some of those entrepreneurs are developing new cancer treatments and diagnostic tools.
The experience of telling her story after so many years evoked emotions and tears Wahamaa-Deschenes thought she had put behind her. Driving back to Sudbury from Ottawa, her determination to help other people with breast cancer was renewed.
It is estimated 30,500 Canadian women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024 and 5,500 will die from it.
Rephrasing the sports metaphor "hang up my skates" which refers to a player retiring from hockey, Wahamaa-Deschenes said, “I thought I had ‘hung up my bra’ after 10 years, but after going to the House of Commons, I’m still on a mission to fight breast cancer.”
She is developing ideas for new projects and may write a book.
Following her presentation and that of other women and specialists, the Status of Women committee approved funding for further study on breast cancer screening.
“We are getting through to people,” she said. “But I am not done yet.”
Vicki Gilhula is a freelance writer who is in her prime. Prime is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
