Help Jen raise money

My name is Jen Pogue, and I am living with cancer but very fortunate and grateful to currently be stable and strong with no evidence of active disease. I was diagnosed with aggressive stage 4 metastatic triple negative breast cancer in February 2021. I was a bustling and busy 37 year old with a lot of life plans ahead, it was an incredibly shocking and terrifying time. Gilda’s Toronto was recommended to me as a supportive place to process my many emotions on what it meant to suddenly be faced with this life altering diagnosis. 

Through Gilda's, I signed up for a group counselling session specifically for young adults in their 20s and 30s where we met weekly. No one story was the same, but it quickly became a safe space to grieve and share together. I would not wish this kind of horror on anyone, but it was comforting to be amongst peers my age that I could relate to. Many of us stay in touch and continue to cheer each other on as we navigate life that has been touched by the big c, they have become a very integral group of people in my world. Some of us plan to run/walk this 5k together to symbolize the importance of community support and celebrate our perseverance. 

Thanks to my great care at Princess Margaret Hospital I am now living very well and grateful to feel capable of taking on a physical challenge like this. Tragically, so many others in the metastatic breast cancer community are not. I run/walk to raise awareness on how stage 4 desperately needs more funding, research, and access to advancing treatments. I also want to highlight that early detection is key, so know your body and be prepared to advocate for yourself to be properly and thoroughly checked if you notice any changes, even when you're under 40 yrs old, even with no family history. 

These funds raised are going to Gilda's Toronto, as they were most certainly the emotional support I needed when I didn't know where else to turn. They've opened the doors to many key supportive therapies and information that I soak in alongside my medical treatments. I want everyone to know that such a great organization exists for those going through cancer (both patients and caregivers), give back to them and thank them for everything they do.

Now, time to RUN/WALK if we can for our emotional well-being and so much more!!