I Got Sick Then I Got Better
September 17, 2014
The Canadian premiere of the play I Got Sick Then I Got Better will be the star attraction of a series of events in Halifax to wind up Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in an entertaining and memorable way.
Margaret Gass (left) and Evelyne Meltzer.
Set for Tuesday, September 30 at Casino Nova Scotia, this theatrical event is being organized by Margaret Gass, an ovarian cancer survivor, and her friend Evelyne Meltzer. All proceeds will support Ovarian Cancer Canada.
About Jenny and her play
Written and performed by Jenny Allen, an ovarian cancer survivor, author and actress, I Got Sick Then I Got Better was deemed “embraceable” by The New York Times. The play has been seen in theatres, hospitals, universities and at cancer conferences throughout the U.S. In it, Jenny shares her story of the harrowing tailspin that followed her 2005 diagnosis, combining biting humour with searing emotion in a witty, bittersweet monologue that shines a light on what can come of a life-threatening illness.
“Ovarian cancer isn’t a subject you normally laugh about, but you’d be hard pressed not to do so as Jenny Allen hilariously relates her experience with the disease in her excellent solo show, I Got Sick Then I Got Better,” wrote Dan Bacalzo in his New York review.
Jenny Allen’s essays and articles have appeared in many magazines including The New Yorker, The New York Times, Vogue, Esquire, Huffington Post and Good Housekeeping. In 2010, several years after the play was first produced, she received the “It’s Always Something” award from Gilda’s Club NYC.
An evening to remember
In Halifax, I Got Sick Then I Got Better will be preceded by a dinnertime presentation by Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden on new and exciting developments in ovarian cancer research. Dr. Vanderhyden holds the Corinne Boyer Chair in Ovarian Cancer Research at the University of Ottawa and heads the research committee for the Ovarian Cancer Canada board of directors.
The evening will be emceed by Costas Halavrezos, who is well known in Halifax as a former host with CBC and now a purveyor of fine spices. Tickets for the event are $250 each, which includes a reception in the casino’s Compass Room, and a delicious three-course dinner with wine and the play in the Schooner Room. Ticket buyers will receive a $150 tax receipt. The goal is to raise $75,000 for ovarian cancer research.
Research: a compelling cause
“I really felt compelled to do something in support of ovarian cancer research,” says Margaret, who spent her career in the Foreign Service. In 2012, just before her final overseas posting, she was diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer. Earlier this year, she underwent treatment for a recurrence.
“When you’ve had this frightening diagnosis and you are in treatment, you get caught up in the whole medical system. This fundraising dinner and theatrical event is a way for me to get out of that state, to be proactive and do something positive that will help women everywhere,” says Margaret.
“I’ve witnessed Margie on her journey with ovarian cancer. She’s been so amazing – ever stoic, cheerful, with an irrepressible joie de vivre. Raising much-needed funds for ovarian cancer research, promoting public awareness, and facilitating medical and scientific collaboration to overcome this disease, is now our cause célèbre,” adds Evelyne, who met her friend at Dalhousie Law School in 1976. “The statistics for ovarian cancer are sobering. We want to help change that.”
To date, the organizers have received generous support and donations from family, friends and colleagues across Canada and even in other countries. “This is going to be a wonderful event and we encourage people to attend if they will be in the area,” says Margaret. “But if you can’t attend, please consider participating by making a donation for ovarian cancer research.”
A powerhouse of events
Margaret and Evelyne have worked closely with Emilie Chiasson, Ovarian Cancer Canada Atlantic Regional Director, on the Casino Nova Scotia event and a host of related events taking place during the same week to increase public awareness of ovarian cancer and promote collaboration among health professionals and researchers.
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On September 29, from 7 to 9 p.m. (Atlantic Daylight Savings Time), join the live North American webcast of an Ovarian Cancer Forum featuring Dr. Rob Rutledge, Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden and a genetic counsellor. Members of the public are welcome to attend the forum at the Bethune Ballrom, Victoria General Site of the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, 1276 South Park Street, Halifax. The event is free of charge and will be recorded for future viewing.
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On September 30, Dr. Vanderhyden will speak to the Department of Medicine at the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute on the topic of ovarian cancer model systems for studies on disease etiology and treatment efficacy.
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Dr. Vanderhyden is also the invited speaker at the IWK Health Centre Grand Rounds on October 1, where she will address an audience of interdisciplinary health professionals on the topic of translational research in ovarian cancer.
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Jenny Allen will host a writing workshop for women with gynecologic or breast cancer on the afternoon of October 1. For further information, contact Emilie Chiasson at 1-866-825-0788, ext. 1 or echiasson@ovariancanada.org