Network News - Winter 2009/2010 (PDF 3.7Mb - Canadian Breast ...

was predeceased by her parents, Bill
and Irene and brother Ronald.
She received her degree in nursing from
University of Manitoba and went on to
become a nurse educator. She used her
own personal diagnosis of breast cancer
in 1990 as the catalyst for devoting
countless hours to improving access to
more effective diagnosis, treatment and
support for individuals and families
living with breast cancer. She had a gift
for listening and counselling women
with breast cancer and was a strong
advocate on their behalf.
Alison organized “Together,” the
first breast cancer support group
for women in Manitoba. This group
evolved into Breast Cancer Action
Manitoba, a nationally affiliated
support group for women living with
breast cancer. She was a member of
the Manitoba Breast Cancer Advisory
Council and chair of the Advocates’
Committee of the Winnipeg Regional
Health Authority Comprehensive
Breast Health Strategy.
She helped establish the state-of-theart
Breast Health Centre in Winnipeg
and was instrumental in creating the
CancerCare Manitoba Breast Cancer
Centre of Hope – Quality of Life Fund.
Due to all of these achievements and
many more, she was the recipient of
the Guardian Angel Breast Cancer
Award of Distinction for 2002. Alison’s
life was epitomized by her devotion to
her children and her will to live.
(Merle) Lynn Macdonald
British Columbia (1941-2009)
Lynn passed away suddenly at her
home in Kelowna, BC on Thursday,
November 26, 2009. Lynn was born on
May 30, 1941 in Quebec City, QC to the
late Merle (Manns) Macdonald (1941)
and the late Alexander Macdonald
(1968), and was the beloved
stepdaughter of the late Nora (Martin)
Macdonald who predeceased her just
3 months ago. Twin sister of the late
Janice (Don) Morrow (1995) and sister
to Sandra (Kent) Plumley, Miriam
Russell and Martin (Linda) Macdonald,
she leaves behind her beloved children,
Kirsten Sheppard (Daren Patterson)
of Knoxville, Tennessee and Brett
Sheppard of Melbourne, Australia,
and her dear grandson, Alexander
Patterson.
Following graduation from Glebe
Collegiate, Ottawa in 1958 Lynn
received a B.A. in English & History
from the University of Manitoba,
(1962) and a B.S.W. (1965) and M.S.W.
(1966) from the University of Toronto.
She gave thirty-eight years to the fields
of Social Work and Mental Health
across Canada.
Lynn represented British Columbia
on CBCN’s Board of Directors from
1998-2002. She was a dedicated,
active and effective advocate for the
Canadian Breast Cancer Network
and a respected voice and advocate
within the Best Medicines Coalition.
For several years Lynn participated in
and delivered papers at domestic and
international conferences on behalf of
both organizations. She also researched
and wrote two current issue papers for
CBCN on life insurance and extended
health benefits. She was always willing
to stand up for those who could not
stand up for themselves. We will miss
Lynn’s exemplary courage, passion
and dedication.
A memorial service was held in
Ottawa on December 9, 2009 in
Ottawa. The family asked that any
memorial donations to be directed to
the Canadian Breast Cancer Network
(www.cbcn.ca) or to the Best Medicines
Coalition (www.bestmedicines.org), or
to a charity of one’s choice. •
CBCN’s Website Friends
Remembered Pages
The Canadian Breast Cancer Network has established The Friends Remembered Pages so
we can remember and share the lives of relatives, friends and others near and dear whom
we have lost to breast cancer, and to celebrate their lives as well as the lives of women and
men who have survived breast cancer and who continue to live with us in this world as
well as in our hearts and minds.
We invite you to contribute obituaries, stories, articles, poems, anecdotes and photos to this
section about Friends you remember. Send them to cbcn@cbcn.ca.
20 Network News Winter 2009-10