Life is Short and Unpredictable – and I Want to Make the Most of it

June 10, 2026

I found out that I was positive for the BRCA2 gene in May of 2014 after my 94-year-old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was urged to get tested as there’s a history of pancreatic and prostate cancer on his side of the family and, sure enough, his test came back positive. I was sent to the high-risk clinic and made the decision to have my ovaries and fallopian tubes removed. A small tumour was found, and that was the beginning of a journey of more surgeries, chemotherapy, and a deep struggle with my mental health. I was frightened.

As a professional pianist, it was very important that I did everything possible during my chemotherapy to avoid neuropathy – tingling, pain, or even numbness in my hands and feet. After searching online and asking for advice from all the nurses and doctors who were treating me, I ended up using a very questionable and unproven preventative technique of holding ice packs in my hands during therapy. Thank goodness, it seemed to have worked.

Other side effects were more difficult to deal with. Prior to treatment I had a big, thick head of curly hair and, when it started falling out in the shower, it was very difficult. Losing my eyebrows and eyelashes was tough, too. I had fatigue, heartburn, ear infections, and a perforated ear drum, and a period of time where I was crying a lot. I comforted myself by reminding myself that things could always be worse. And I am so lucky to have had a wonderful support system: my amazing husband, dear friends who supported me daily with a meal train and phone calls, and my adult daughter and son, who called regularly and came in from Toronto and the UK to visit, lifting me up with their presence.

My treatment was isolating. I was told to treat this time as if I were in the COVID pandemic as I was immunocompromised. I couldn’t see anyone in person. I longed for some connection, and so attending the Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) workshop was a very welcome opportunity. I saw people in person there for the first time in months.

I attended because I wanted to have eyebrows. I was scheduled to be in a video that was being made about my parents’ architecturally designed home and this was for posterity. So I signed up with that singular purpose in mind.

What I found out was that LGFB is so much more than learning how to apply makeup. It nourished my soul, gave me hope for the future, and helped me feel like myself again – confident to face myself and others. I was struck by how positive the participants were and especially inspired by the facilitator, who shared with us that she was a cancer survivor of over 20 years. She had humour, vitality, and boundless energy – everything I was longing for. I removed my head covering there for the first time in public, baring my bald head, something I couldn’t even do in front of my husband. That was a feeling I can’t even describe. It took a lot of courage for me to do that. I left that session feeling positive, supported, and connected.

There can be silver linings to having cancer. It has forced me to look at life differently, to value friendships, family, and the little things in life and not let them pass me by. This journey puts life into perspective. It has given me an opportunity to reflect on my priorities and to make sure that I can make a difference in the world.

Last spring I attended my son’s graduation ceremony in London, England. And in the summer I hosted a thank-you party for all my beloved friends who supported me during my treatment. I was able to support a friend going through something similar with greater empathy. We will travel again. Life is short and unpredictable, and I want to make the most of it.