Yesterday, I heard the sad news that former Ottawa councillor Diane Deans is in palliative care because of ovarian cancer. In her statement posted to X (Twitter), Jessica Bradley—Diane's successor as councillor for Gloucester-Southgate—invited readers to send a message to Diane and her family (email address in statement). Below is the message I submitted.

Diane,

I am so sorry to hear that you have entered palliative care just five years after beginning treatment for ovarian cancer. Having been diagnosed with the disease myself, I am keenly aware of the outsized impact this uncommon cancer has on those of us who face it and, by extension, everyone who loves us. Sadly, your experience with the disease is what many people who develop ovarian cancer face: a protracted battle with a formidable illness.

You deserved the chance to watch your daughter and grandson grow and prosper, to continue making meaningful contributions to the city you served for nearly 30 years, and to simply enjoy a quieter time after a demanding, though no doubt rewarding, career. It is heartbreaking that you will not have that chance.

I applaud you for sharing your story. Awareness of ovarian cancer is low. Indeed, I knew nothing about the disease before my own diagnosis in 2020. Certainly, I didn't know that less than half the people diagnosed with ovarian cancer are alive five years later. By sharing your experience, you have helped to bring awareness to ovarian cancer and the need for ongoing research so that stories like yours become as uncommon as the disease itself.

In your honour, today I made a donation to Ovarian Cancer Canada, which helps people experiencing, affected by or at risk of the disease and supports and drives research to find more effective treatments. Because of a generous gift by Erin Barrett, a fellow Director on the Ovarian Cancer Canada Board of Directors, and her husband, Tom Frohlich, my donation was doubled. Between now and World Ovarian Cancer Day on May 8, Erin and Tom will match donations (up to $30,000) to Ovarian Cancer Canada.

In 2020, you said, "Maybe somebody like me can give others hope." Though entering palliative care five years after your diagnosis is not what you would have hoped for, you have given hope simply by sharing your experience with ovarian cancer. Stories like yours remind decision makers, researchers and all Canadians that the struggle to reduce deaths from this disease to zero is not over.

I send you and your family peace and love at this most difficult time.

Jen