Jeanne’s journey

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This article was published 28/09/2023 (1066 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

She’s a dynamo media personality, a fashion icon and a Canadian treasure.

Jeanne Beker is also a cancer survivor.

In 2022, following a routine mammogram, Beker was diagnosed with breast cancer. But she didn’t retreat. Instead, she did what she’s always done: brought the public along on her journey on Instagram.

“The same way I took them by the hand every week and led them backstage at the fashion shows in the world’s fashion capitals,” says the longtime host of FashionTelevision, which ran for 27 years.

At 71, Beker is as booked and busy as ever, hosting Style Matters with Jeanne Beker, a live weekly show for the Shopping Channel, along with a host of other projects. She’s also been on the public speaking circuit, talking about her experience with breast cancer.

It was an incredibly tough time. But, she says, it wasn’t a horrible time.

“It really wasn’t,” she says. “I saw so much of the good in people, I learned so much about human nature and I was so empowered by what I learned about myself.

“And it really made me a stronger, wiser, braver, bolder, more grateful person.”

In advance of her keynote speech at CancerCare Manitoba’s 32nd annual Guardian Angel Benefit in Winnipeg on Sunday — which, fittingly, includes a fashion show component — the Free Press caught up with Beker to talk about cancer, yes, but also care and community. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Free Press: To begin, tell me what it means to you to be part of CancerCare’s Guardian Angel Benefit.

Jeanne Beker: Any time I have the chance to trumpet my message — and certainly across Canada in that way and meeting people who really do care, and who possibly are going through or have gone through a cancer journey, or are near and dear to someone who has — any time that I can raise awareness for cancer and share my story, and try to eradicate the fear and normalize the conversation, I think that’s one of the most important things I could do. I feel like I’m certainly on a mission now. I mean, that journey changed my life in so many ways.

FP: Let’s talk about that. You are such a vibrant, dynamic, busy person. What was it like in the moment to receive that diagnosis?

JB: I was so in the eye of my own personal storm with work-related, career-related, family-related stuff that my first thought when I got that devastating call was, “Oh no, I’m gonna have to just walk away from all this.” Not only walk away from incredible work projects that I was looking forward to, but I almost felt like I had to give up my life. And I was so in love with my life.

FP: Tell me about the next steps.

JB: The first few days after you get the diagnosis, I mean, they’ve really got to be scariest, until you really meet your oncologists and until you understand that there is a way forward. I’m not saying cancer is always curable. And in my case, thank God, you know, it was not only treatable, but curable, but that everyone, you know, does have a path forward and it’s just figuring that out.

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (in Toronto) was my temple of healing. Confucius once said, “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” And that was something that really resonated with me. I thought about that a lot. Because I could have taken the attitude of, ugh gosh, I’ve got to go to the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, that’s so scary, and what a depressing place. And the minute I decided, nope, I’m going to go there with every good intention and I’m gonna stay in the light.

And as I walked through those doors, I just felt an immediate sense of compassion and caring; that was my first step on the path to, hopefully, wellness. I just decided, I love my life too much to live in fear. Even if I only have six months or a year left in my life, I want to enjoy it and I want to continue to love it. And I do not want to curl up and go down some dark hole.

FP: Having the career you have had for as long as you have, many people feel like they know you. I mean, you’re in their living rooms. But was there any part of you that wanted to keep this private?

JB: No. Not for one second did I think maybe I wouldn’t share my story. I was absolutely adamant that I was going to share it. I wanted to do it in the right way at the right time. I wanted to do it before I started treatment so it wouldn’t be like, well, I’ve done my treatments now and I’ve gone through tough stuff and (I’m going to) tell you what happened to me, because I wanted to take people along the journey with me in a crazy kind of way. I wanted to maybe try to demystify the disease as best I could. I worked my whole life to have a voice, to have a platform to connect with people, to communicate. That’s been my greatest joy.

I did the first post the day I first sat in the chemo chair. Interestingly, too, it was National Cancer Wellness Day. It was like, OK, this is so appropriate. And I sat in the chair, and my partner took a picture of me. And that was a little scary, too, because it’s like, I didn’t know how I’d react to chemo. But I thought it was so important. And overnight, my Instagram following doubled, I had all these new people coming on. Thousands of people telling me or direct-messaging me about their cancer journeys, or their sisters or mothers or aunts or partners or daughters. That’s what’s so daunting, how many people go through cancer.

All of a sudden, I felt like I was part of this bigger family, and the notes of encouragement that they gave me — even if it was just something like “you’ve got this” or dropping in a heart emoji — I felt loved and empowered. They all became my cheerleaders on this journey. And some days I would sit in that chemo chair — because I had to go for 12 sessions every week for three months — I would sit there sometimes feeling a little sorry for myself, I would open up my phone, open up Instagram, and read hundreds of messages. And that would just really lift me.

FP: Awareness and education are key for prevention. I think most people know that they should be doing self-examinations and going for mammograms. What else should people know?

JB: Until very recently — like until very, very recently — women were not told about their breast density. I mean, you go for your mammogram, but if you have dense breasts, a mammogram is not enough. I have dense breasts. I didn’t realize that a mammogram was not enough. My breast-screening program at the hospital I was regularly going to said, OK, you come every two years for a mammogram, so I went every two years. Because I have dense breasts I think I should have gone every year and not just had a mammogram but had a mammogram and an ultrasound or an MRI.

Now, the new guideline is that every woman that goes for a mammogram will be told what her breast density is. And there’s four categories, A, B, C or D. If you’re C or D — and over 40 per cent of women are, and it has nothing to do with breast size, you can have the teeniest boobs and they can still be dense — you have to get additional screening. And it’s just as simple as that.

The Guardian Angel Benefit is on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 12:30 p.m. at the RBC Convention Centre, York Ballroom. Visit cancercarefdn.mb.ca for tickets and more information.

jen.zoratti@winnipegfreepress.com