An evening of sharing, collaborations & strength.
Pink Pearl Canada had their first Local Social on Tuesday (Feb 4) evening in Cobourg, on World Cancer Day no less.
Pink Pearl is a charitable organization focused on bringing together young women, between the ages of 18 and 40, who have been affected by cancer through a network of peer support and innovative programs.
Pink Pearl was created after a 32-year-old ovarian cancer survivor, Elise Gasbarrino, was undergoing cancer treatment in her early twenties and felt there wasn’t a way to connect with women her age facing the same issues.
More Local Socials are expected in Cobourg, with a plan to have the next retreat in Kingston in the Fall, but hopefully there will be a retreat here in Cobourg as well.
37-year-old Heather Janering is the Local Ambassador with Pink Pearl and she tells us more.
Janering is a Cobourg Resident and recent breast cancer survivor and hosted the first get together at Taps & Cork’s in Downtown Cobourg.
Sharyn Dunn of the Survivor Thrivers and the Cobourg Dragon Boat Team came out to support the young women after seeing a flyer for the event.
Dunn adds that she’s seen what support can do, saying it saved her when she needed it most.
Janering adds that seeing all the women in the room Tuesday evening gives her hope.
Through Pink Pearl, programming for participants includes wellness retreats, support packages distributed in hospitals and cancer centres, brunch and learns, family support days, post-secondary scholarships and of course, local social gatherings.
