The NETWORK, Luxembourg's oldest international professional business women's association, teamed up with one of its chosen charities, Think Pink Luxembourg, and guest speaker Denise Clarke on Wednesday for an online cancer awareness event.
The event, entitled "Thriving in Adversity", brought together around 25 participants to discuss the topic of cancer.
The first part of the event saw representatives of Think Pink Luxembourg introduce the organisation and share tips on how to detect cancer early. Created by a small group of volunteers in 2009, Think Pink Luxembourg is a local non-profit organisation which works to raise awareness of cancers affecting women, to support women living with cancer in Luxembourg and to raise funds to meet these objectives.
Like many organisations, the non-profit has suffered from the pandemic, particularly with the cancellation of various fundraising events. However, one of its most important events, Race for the Cure, is going ahead in hybrid mode on Sunday 10 October 2021. The NETWORK will be sending its own team to participate. Further information, including registration details, is available at www.raceforthecure.eu.
Carrie Cannon, co-founder and Chairwoman of Think Pink Luxembourg, shared some of her tips (as a nurse) on how to detect breast cancer. She particularly emphasised the importance of getting to know one's own body: "If you don't know what is normal, how do you know what is not normal?"
Guest speaker Denise Clarke, a qualified psychologist, psychotherapist and teacher, led the second part of this event. Denise shared her personal cancer story, focusing on her determination to live - to thrive, not just survive. She notably discussed how she changed her mindset, her diet and even her doctor after being diagnosed with colon cancer two years ago.
Denise's testimony paved the way for participants to discuss how they could change their lives for the better in their respective breakout rooms. Some of the main takeaways included the importance of making little changes at first and building up a routine. Other important aspects were healthy eating, meditation, having a supportive network and setting boundaries (and not feeling guilty about sticking to them).
The NETWORK President Marie Louise Ashworth also invited one of the participants, Juan, who had been a key figure in Denise's recovery, to lead a two-minute meditation session to help participants refocus.
Marie Louise concluded by thanking everyone for their openness, adding that she was "proud of The NETWORK for this safe environment we have created". She particularly thanked Think Pink Luxembourg for attending and for all their work and Denise Clarke for sharing her story.
