Nancy Pitfield
It is very fitting that we have chosen to honour my mother and Sheila's memory by carving their initials into trees. Throughout her illness, my mom would find comfort and strength in a photo of two trees that she kept by her bedside. In the photo, one tree was rather bare and crooked, almost as if it might fall over at any moment, while the other tree was lush and straight.
During some of her most difficult times she would compare herself to the weaker tree and tell my sister, brother, and I that her goal was to become the strong lush, and livelier one. What made the analogy so perfectly suited to my mother was that no matter what tree her health dictated she identify with, she was happy being either tree. She would often point out to us that no matter how hard the wind blew or how bad the weather would get, both trees so heavily rooted in the ground could hardly be touched by whatever force might threaten them. If you pictured the darkest sky, torrential rains, even the worst winds imaginable, my mom would picture the tree standing alone in the middle of it, just dancing in the wind. And sure enough, when the world would finally calm down, every beautiful knot or twist and every special detail would fall back to its natural form and continue to grow upwards in whatever unique way nature intended.
My mother used to tell us that for every dark cloud there is always a silver lining. I know that she is watching over me with pride in the fact that I have turned the experience of losing her into something positive.
Kate Pitfield
BALMSHELL Marketing Manager
Sheila Cudney
When my mother first told my sister and I—in her gentle, euphemistic way—that her battle with breast cancer was going to be an uphill climb, one question came to mind: "Why you, Mom." Why does this devastating illness have to touch our family? Why does such a kind and loving spirit have to suffer?
In her infinite wisdom, my mother simply answered: "Why not, me."
It is this sentiment that underpins this beautiful tribute to Nancy and Sheila (and all the other mothers, daughters and sisters that have suffered). There is no rhyme or reason to the targets of breast cancer's tragic crosshairs, but initiatives like Balmshell's 1 in 8 go along way to mitigating its damage.
My mother would have been so proud to have been affiliated with this campaign and, for what it is worth, this loving son feels equally proud that his mother (and her best friend Nancy) are living on through this wonderful initiative. In the eyes of their loving families, they were the greatest "Balmshells" of all!!
I love you, mom!
Gord Cudney