Prairie Place in Arcola was home to the 5th Annual Creative Tables for Cancer on Thursday, Oct. 4. With 40 tables seating at least eight people at each well over 320 people were present for the wonderful event. From volunteers to hostesses, and those invited to dine there were many ready for a night of laughs, tears, and a night out with friends.
Darlene Olsen envisioned this event five years ago and it has been growing steadily ever since. Creative Tables for Cancer raises money to support the "Look Good, Feel Better" program offered to cancer patients. Olsen has been a volunteer with this program for over 15 years and feels it has become very important to many.
It is a two-hour workshop offered at the Cancer Centre in Regina. The workshop can be found at 110 locations across Canada where approximately 10 to 12 women attend meaning nearly 1,000 women go to the workshops every month. The women who volunteer focus on showing cancer patients how to utilize different products, wigs, and nail care.
Going through treatments can be a very difficult time for many as they may lose a sense of self. There is a chance one may lose their hair during treatment including their eyelashes and eyebrows. Their nails may become weak and there is a chance they too will be lost depending on how one's body reacts to the treatment. "Look Good, Feel Better" attempts to help women feel like themselves again.
Olsen has noticed a raise in the number of women who attend these workshops since she first began working in them 15 years ago.
"More women are coming now for the program than when it first started. I'm a glass is half full person, so I believe this means more women are aware, they're checking. It's talked about more and caught earlier," Olsen explained.
This year the 40 tables had many wonderful themes including Hallowe'en, Thanksgiving, Fall, Hawaiian, Beach complete with a rice crispy sand castle for a centrepiece, country, redneck, Dr. Seuss, the 1960s, and many more.
The amazing food, which consisted of chicken, potatoes, and a variety of salads, was catered by Eilleen Corrigan and Linda Chapman.
Also present for the evening was Michael Ellis and his son Heath with specialty coffees available for all to enjoy, which was a large draw as Michael's Bakery is very popular.
The first speaker of the evening was Dawn Gerry who travelled from Mississauga, Ontario. She works with the Mary K Ash Charitable Foundation which donates to "Look Good Feel Good" and a shelter grant program for people escaping domestic violence situations.
The Foundation will be going into its 11th year in Canada, having begun in 2002. With donations and fundraising efforts, such as Arcola's Creative Tables for Cancer the Foundation has been able to raise $1.375 million dollars over the past 10 years.
"This is my fourth time here and it amazes me to see everything done. Such creativity and imagination... it is fabulous," Gerry exclaimed, "Every year is better than the last it seems."
Happy to attend each year Gerry was touched by everyone able to make this a reality.
"It just amazes me. In a small community they are able to get everyone to come out to support this cause. It is fabulous to see," Gerry said, "They even dress up in the theme of their table, it's just wonderful."
The second guest speaker of the night was a cancer survivor, Louise Bird of Wawota. Bird struggled with breast cancer 10 years ago being diagnosed in December. She began treatments before Christmas and would go on to have a mastectomy. She was determined to beat the cancer and has said this first bout was not the most difficult to get through. Following recovery she was asked in for a routine follow-up exam.
"But there was nothing routine about it," stated Bird as she relayed her experiences with breast cancer, "Cancer had liked me so much, it came back again."
This time doctor's were not as optimistic. She was told to enjoy Christmas with her family before they would begin treatments. This time complications arose. The tumor wasn't shrinking with treatments and the doctor's would need to perform surgery, yet she had an infection at this time and surgery could not be performed. Once her infection was gone Bird was given more therapies. Throughout this time her daughter took time off of school to drive Bird, so her husband could continue working.
Bird eventually received the surgery, which she was scheduled for in Calgary. A difficult time as her family was dealing with another loss and could not be with her at this time; but, family of a friend who lived in Calgary were very supportive.
Bird has been cancer free for nine years now and has said cancer has taught her a couple of life lessons, "Never say never and always believe in yourself."
It was an emotional night with laughter and tears as experiences were relayed and thank yous were given.
Much laughter in fact came when Nicole Currie, owner of The Pearl Boutique, was on stage to thank Olsen for all she does exclaiming, "You're like Mother Teresa and Opera." This brought many laughs from the crowd and tears to Olsen as the kind words continued to be said to her throughout the evening.
One small obstacle for the evening entailed not being able to obtain a liquor licence for the evening. At this event some people like the odd drink, but everyone was more than happy to have drinks mixed by "The Virgin Bar Tenders" as they came to be called while serving alcohol free beverages.
"Thanks to the virgin bar tenders. I've known them for 27 years and I don't think I've seen them make a virgin drink in all the time I've known them, but they're doing a fabulous job," exclaimed Olsen.
Many donations came in for the event both in the form of cash donations to help with the meal and hall expenses as well as in the form of a number of silent auction items and raffle prizes. The great support from the community is appreciated by Olsen and her crew because without these individuals and businesses the event would not be possible.
The evening was filled with great conversation, laughter, and tears. It was a great success once again and Olsen along with her organizing committee are tallying up how much they were able to raise for this year's 5th Annual Creative Tables for Cancer.
