Tickled Pink Cookbook

Two things happened in January 2006 that has changed the course of my life. The first one when I signed up to walk in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer (WEBC) benefiting the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, and the second one was I was laid off from work.

I think of the second event as a game of musical chairs for grown ups. I was left standing when the music stopped. Oh well – life happens.
Now, what do I do to fill my days? There’s one thing you have to know about me --- I am one of those crazy women who cooks dinner, while working on a PowerPoint Presentation, setting up meetings, texting, spending time with my husband, feeding our gorgeous cat and watching TV all at the same time. I thrive on stress. I love being busy. Without a job, what do I do now? Woe is me. I have no job. BOO HOO! It was a total pity party. I whined ... and whined ... and whined ... (and yes, lots of WINE too!)

One day, I came across a website with profiles of women battling cancer. It broke my heart because it reminded me of what my mother went through when I was 10 years old. IT WAS MY WAKE UP CALL. OMG!!! How dare I sit here and feel sorry for myself! I didn’t have a job but I WAS NOT FIGHTING CANCER!!! How shallow was I to think that not having a job was the worst thing that could happen to me?
So I decided to take action! No more pity parties. I did my research on how I can help raise money for a cure. I clicked on the Alberta WEBC site to get fundraising ideas and saw that this team had put together a cookbook to fundraise for their walk. This was it!! This was my new project (oh yes, and to find a job, too – but I had a lead, so that could wait). As I bounded upstairs from my home office in the basement, I proudly proclaimed to my bewildered husband “ I (read We) am going to publish a cookbook!!!!!!’ Now, you have to know my husband – the man has never said no to me in 25 years together. He shakes his head in a yes motion and goes “OK.”
Armed with nothing more than a blind ambition and visions of a best seller (You have to sell 5000 copies in Canada to be a best seller), I set off to make this cookbook to be different from the tens of thousands on the book shelves. How? This cookbook will have 2 special key ingredients ... 1) Stories from the people whose lives were affected by the Big C 2) 100% of the net proceeds from the sale of the cookbook will go directly to cancer research. For once I’m doing something that is ‘not about me’, but for someone else. I LOVE IT!
I sent out a few emails, and in no time, I had my first recipe and story submission and a PUBLISHER!! OMG!! I have a PUBLISHER! (Oprah, are you there?) So, off to the bank I go, and to take out a personal loan to pay for the printing of this masterpiece.

Recipes and stories I asked for – and recipes and stories I got. The submissions came from all over the world and the stories will bring tears to the most hardened soul. Many of the stories brought tears to my eyes (and this is something that is usually reserved for the WEBC opening ceremonies). These stories will make you believe that this world is filled with a lot of wonderfully warm, inspiring and giving people.

Tickled Pink Cookbook was launched on June 1, 2007 – the first day of the 2007 WEBC event. We’ve sold them through our website, through stores that don’t forego their commissions or profits (they get the giving-back-to-your-community spirit), through friends and family and out of the trunks of our cars. To date, we’ve raised over $50,000 for cancer research and have sold 2,500 (not quite a best seller according to the experts – but it is to us).
If you want a cookbook that will fill your stomach and your heart -- visit our website at WWW.Tickledpinkcookbook.com – PLEASE make sure you put the word “cookbook” in – I can’t be responsible for the site you will visit!!

As for the job situation – I did get another one (like everyone told me I would). Apparently, there are thousand jobs out there ... but you only have 1 life. Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much!

What do you mean I have to raise $2,000?

Yes, a small provision of the weekend to End Breast Cancer (WEBC) is that every walker must raise at least $2,000.

Is this easy? For some yes, for some maybe not so much. Is fighting breast cancer easy? I can’t even say for some yes, for some not so much. Given the choice to raise $2,000 or to be told I have cancer and know that I am in for the fight of my life, I’d take stepping outside my comfort zone and asking someone to support my incredible journey. I can’t even imagine how far outside my comfort zone I would be if I were to hear the words “Shelly you have cancer.” It’s a phrase 4 in every 10 women will hear in their lifetime.
One of best things about experiencing the weekend as part of a team is you hear first hand all the unique fundraising ideas that people have. Just like every business, all it takes is creativity and passion.





We have two eighteen year old young ladies who raised over $600.00 at a school bake sale. They had so much fun! What a perfect opportunity for them. Food and teenage boys – a winning combination! One team member puts jelly beans in a jar and sells ”guesses” on the number of beans in the jar! Brilliant!! Two of our team members sell pink ribbon merchandise outside the mall and raised enough for their $2,000 commitment and have money left over to help some of our team members. One lady sells chips and chocolate bars at work. Again what’s with the food? But it works, everyone has to eat. Some of us (who shall remain nameless) bought a dozen CASES of chocolate bars with the plan of going door to door. Well- the chocolate bars never left her house. (That explains where those extra 10 pounds came). But luckily, walking doesn’t just fund breast cancer research, it also burns calories.
There are those who have dinner parties, wine tasting, bake sale, donate a portion of their new business revenue to their walk, business referral program, contests, raffles, cocktail parties (and who doesn’t love cocktails?), art sale, garage sale, auction, ice cream party, Tupperware party benefits ... the list goes on and on and on.

I understand that asking for money is not easy. Neither is fighting cancer. I keep in mind that I am not asking for money for me … but asking to save someone’s life. You will be doing it so that your children, and your grand children don’t have to hear the words – “You have cancer.”
I start my fundraising efforts right after Christmas, just before the Visa statements come in and when everyone is still warm with the Christmas glow! The Weekend to End Breast Cancer team wants us to be successful and provides us with so many tools to achieve this success. They provide us with sample fundraising letters, a wonderful message board where other people have posted ideas and suggestions.
I keep several things in mind when I start my fundraising efforts – a) I’m not asking for myself, and b) the answer is always no unless you ask!

We are The Ta-Ta's – the mighty mighty ta-ta's

“We are the Ta-tas, the mighty mighty Ta-tas, people want to know, who we are, so we tell them…..”
This is the Saving Our Tatas theme song and we will sing for just about anything, or anyone. If there is money involved we will even sing at your wedding, graduation or any special event. (Look out Susan Boyle here come the Ta-Tas.) This song is a small, but very important part of our team.
Other team traditions and basics -- Pink pool noodles shaped into pink ribbons that we carry with us, our team shirt with our motto” I’m Walking Because I Can’t Walk Away,” our internal team rule - “no Ta-Ta walks alone” is in keeping with our belief that you are not alone this weekend – you always have a friend with you, our Ta-Ta tat party we have 2 days before the weekend where we get oversized pink airbrush tattoos, our pink champagne party after the closing ceremonies to celebrate our fantastic achievement, our reunion party within a couple of weeks of the event to re-live this life changing weekend. These are just a few things that make our team special. For us – it is all about the pink.



But who really are the Ta-tas and where do we come from? We initially were a group of strangers who turned up at the training walks every Sunday. But sooner or later, the strangers became friends. We trained alright. But we laugh, we giggle, we listen, we trade recipes, we tell dirty jokes, we gossip, we vent, we cry , we share and we sing ... We have all been touched by Cancer in one way or another, but it is not the only thing that binds our group now.
It didn’t take long for the infamous Ta-ta family to grow year over year. We range in age from 18 to much older (and to protect the innocent we won’t say that some are over 60). In 2007, there were approximately 21 of us, in 2008 there were 38, and in 2009 there were almost 50 of us walking, singing, laughing and maybe a few of us were crying our way to the finish line of the Ottawa event. In 2009, we were very honoured to have our first breast cancer survivor as part of the Ta-Ta family. She gave us encouragement, hope and belief that cancer CAN be beaten. Our Ta-ta family is made up of MEN and women from all walks of life who want to have fun, and make a difference.


In 2008 and 2009 the Saving Our Ta-ta family expanded to include many of the spouses, family members, significant others and life partners of the Ta-ta walkers who choose to be part of this event as crew. They take care of us during the day and are at the finish line waiting with open arms to welcome us back.
I believe what makes the Ta-ta’s special is our commitment to find a cure to cancer ... and of course, have lots of fun along the way.
Saving the Ta-tas is not a team ... it’s a family. One that welcomes anyone with a good heart and has a dirty joke to share.
I am proud to be called Queen Ta-Ta and my husband is our Den Mother of this incredible family. Come join our family – we have room for one more.

The Weekend to End All Women's Cancers

In 2004, my friend Joanne had a double mastectomy; she is a year older than I am. That year was the first year I registered to walk in the CIBC Run for the Cure in Ottawa. I had signed up to walk 5K and raise money for cancer. I talked some of the ladies I worked with to come join me. It would be fun – we’d raise a bit of money, do the walk (5K – how long was this actually going to take us?), go to breakfast – a nice way to spend a Sunday. This became an annual tradition that I looked forward to.

In 2005, my husband Carl, friend Joanne and her husband joined me in this annual tradition. It was that year we spotted “THE T-SHIRT” This fellow participant cruised on by us with this T-shirt that said “Weekend to End Breast Cancer – 60K”. A 60K walk? What?? Where?? Oh man, that would be fun. I had to find out more. So, I saddled on up to her and said ‘tell me more about this 60K walk’.

Only in Montreal you say
After chatting with her and finding out this 60K walk was in Montreal and not Ottawa, I was disappointed that this was not available in Ottawa, or that I didn’t consider going to Montreal to participate? Duh! Hello? We parted ways and I enjoyed the rest of our walk with my husband and friends.

Fast forward to January 2006, when I saw the full page ad in the Ottawa Citizen announcing “THE WEEKEND TO END BREAST CANCER” a 2 day - 60K walk to raise money for breast cancer. OMG!! OMG!!! OMG!!! It had come to Ottawa. THE walk was here! I had to do it! After checking the calendar for the date of this event, July 24 – 25th – minor schedule conflict. It was the weekend of our grand-daughter’s birthday weekend in Halifax. Carl, my every supportive husband, assured me that he would represent us at the birthday party and participating in the 60K walk was really a bigger gift to Kathleen than the current Dora the Explorer doll I got her.

I remember our very first 5K training walk in January in OTTAWA – you’d think we had walked around the world. With our chests out proudly, we bragged for days about it to anyone who would listen! “I walked 5K this weekend”! When at the second 5K walk our walking leader didn’t show up, Carl took the lead and said ‘we are here – lets walk’ – I was leaning more for a hot coffee some place, however, walk we did and the rest is history. What began as a substitute walking coach has turned into Carl and I leading most of the training walks in Kanata. We’ve become known as the ‘noodle people’ in Kanata as was walk with pool noodles shaped into ‘pink ribbons’ – there is no mistaking that we are walking for breast cancer.

5 will get you to 60
How do you get ready for a 60K walk? One kilometre at a time and with friends that you are about to meet. During these walks we met new friends, dutifully logged our kilometres, felt good about what we are doing and couldn’t wait for THE WEEKEND to arrive.


The Weekend Was Finally Here!
July 24 – 26th, 2006 was the first Weekend to End Breast Cancer event held in Ottawa. We had no idea what we were in for. We arrived bright eyed and bushy tailed in our of our pinkness glory-- temporary pink ribbon tattoo – check, pink hat – check, pink feather boa – check, pink pool noodle shaped into a pink ribbon – check. Of course don’t forget the boring basics –- water – check, extra socks – check and sun screen – check. There would be no mistaking that I am on a mission and was there for a reason.

Excitement raced through us as we were called to the stage … the time was almost here! After some stretching exercises, and a very emotional opening ceremony we heard the words that would start our journey “LET THE WEEKEND TO END BREASTCANCER BEGIN!!!” Our hearts were beating out of control as my friends and I walked out arm and arm out of the compound to something bigger than us. As we began our walk as far as our eyes could see, people sat aside their differences for one another and were walking towards making a difference. One thousand seventeen men and women were there to be the end to breast cancer. As we walked and walked AND WALKED through the streets of Ottawa, we came across family and friends who cheered us on, who gave us the encouragement to continue even though our feet were screaming ‘STOP!’ We came across kids who had set up pink cool-aid stands and were offering us ‘free cool-aid and free hugs for the walkers’. Little girls lined the streets with signs that said ‘I love you mommy,” how could we not continue? How could we have ever questioned NOT doing this?

As we crossed the finish line on day one, bone tired, some of us headed home to our beds and an adult beverage or two (other brave souls spent the night in the luxurious tents provided by the organizers).

Day 2- Sunny skies – check, new socks – check, pink feather boa – check, oh and a bit more walking. Thank God the organizers were good to us and told us where to walk, and when to stop and pee, and when to eat and when to rest, as most of us were so engrossed with talking to the walkers with the pink lanyards. These special lanyards are for men and women who have slayed the cancer dragon. Our heroes. The incredible stories that we heard made each step matter, and put determination in our step. These women heard the words ‘you have cancer’ and were not deterred and fought hard, and are now here beside us, amongst us showing us that YES CANCER CAN BE BEATEN. How could we think of quitting? They didn’t ... and by God ... I won’t.

Tears flowed freely as we crossed the finish line (actually it was a pink carpet) arms held high in victory. Tears for completing the 60K and we were still standing, and tears for knowing we had made a difference and we were 10, 067 steps closer to finding a cure for breast cancer.

Euphoric, cloud nine-, a state of disbelieve, great pride and lifelong bragging rights- check. Feelings that I woke up to on Monday, or maybe it was my sore muscles that woke me up. OMG!!! I had walked 60K and lived to tell about it.

Would I do it again? Absolutely! Truth be told, I had signed up for the 2007 event even before we had taken our first steps on that exciting Saturday morning. Yes, I AM WALKING again because I can’t walk away.

Unknowingly it all begins in 1972

On January 9, 1972 Leukemia stole my dad from me – he was 51.
On March 20, 1972 cancer took my mom – she was 48.
I was only 11.
What does an eleven year old feel they she loses her parents within 3 months to cancer? I can honestly say, at the time, relief.

Like all dads he was my hero – he could do anything, except slay the cancer dragon. Like all little girls (and the youngest of the family) I had my dad wrapped securely around my baby finger. In 1971 Leukemia snuck up behind him when he was taking care of my mom, providing for our family and stole him. How dare Leukemia take him? Didn’t cancer know that I needed him to be my rock? Why did it have to be my dad? Who would teach me to drive? Who would walk me down the aisle?

I remember the day like it was yesterday, when I heard my mom received THE call that she would need to go to St. John, New Brunswick for chemo treatments, this was around 1965. I didn’t know exactly what that meant, but I remember her crying as she talked on the phone – I knew that this trip to St. John did not include a fun weekend at my favourite aunts. Seeing her cry made me cry – with her best reassurance she said ‘everything will be OK – don’t worry’. This was the beginning of the end for her.
She made many trips to St. John for chemo, many visits to the hospital, towards the end of her life, our family doctor made nightly trips into our house to give mom something to help her sleep and be comfortable and ease the pain.

At eleven I had no idea the impact of losing my parents would have on my life – I just knew that they, especially my mom, was no longer in pain, which she was no longer suffering. Relief that there were no more surgeries, relief that there were no more trips to the hospital for her, relief the doctor no longer had to make the nightly trip into the house, relief that her pain was gone, relief that it was finally over.

I understand now the impact. They missed seeing me drive, graduate, walk me down the aisle to my husband Carl. (And would they have loved him. Carl would have enjoyed many drinks with my dad under the tree on the front lawn. He would have also teased my mom, and she would have swatted him with the dish towel, and made his favourite meals). They missed meeting my step-daughters, and grand-daughter. They missed seeing me become an adult.

Now that I am an adult (some of my friends will completely disagree with me on this). The day I turned 48 was very emotional for me. That was the age she was when she died. I have now out lived her – and 48 is not old, although it seemed like it was at 11. When I turned 48, I wanted to honour this woman, who fought this disease for most of the time I had known her. Whatever we did had to be challenging, so my husband, Carl and I participated 7 of the Weekend to End Breast Cancer events across Canada.

Two years from now, when I turn 51, I will be the same age as my dad was when Leukemia stole him. I will do something special to honour him.

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason – even losing my parents at 11. It has made me passionate about raising money for cancer research and care so that no parent has to leave a young daughter behind ..."