This past January, we were shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Michelle Hobor, a vibrant young woman who had gotten involved with Rethink Breast Cancer only a few months earlier.

Michelle was participating in Support Saturdays, Rethink’s new program to help young moms dealing with breast cancer. The diverse group of young women who came together to participate in the program were a really special bunch. Because they were all young mothers, fearful of leaving their children motherless, their support work was often heavy and intense, and the women bonded quite quickly.

Halfway through the program, Michelle’s breast cancer returned with a vengeance. Although spirited to the end, she declined rapidly and lost her battle with breast cancer at the end of January, the morning after returning from a final family vacation to Disney World.

I helped in the childcare room during the Support Saturday sessions and got to know Michelle’s beautiful children, three year old Nate who seems to have an old (and gentle) soul and 18 month old Noelle, who looks like a mini Michelle. I only got to know Michelle through a few phone calls and a few quick chats before or after some of the sessions. She struck me as someone both fun and fiery.

Michelle had a complicated and intense battle with breast cancer and we wanted to share Michelle’s extraordinary story with our supporters. Because I wasn’t in the actual Support Saturdays sessions, I turned to the other women in the program to help me write a tribute to Michelle.

Everyone felt it was best to let Michelle’s writing speak for itself. Michelle wrote a wonderful feature for the Toronto Star last October describing her initial diagnosis and treatment. She had stayed in touch with the editor via email after the story ran and kept him in the loop on her recurrence and the chaos and confusion that erupted shortly afterwards. After Michelle passed away, the Star ran a feature that consisted mostly of that email correspondence. It’s one of the most powerful pieces I’ve ever read.

Apart from using Michelle’s own writing to tell her story, one of the group members suggested the following adaptation of a quote from the movie Blade Runner to capture the spirit of how they felt about Michelle.

“The light that shines twice as bright shines half as long - and you have shined so very, very brightly…”

Our thoughts this Mother’s Day are with Michelle’s husband, Terry, her two beautiful children, her parents and all of her family and close friends. This Mother’s Day would have been Michelle’s 33rd birthday. I know she continues to shine brightly in their hearts.

I encourage you to read Michelle’s story by visiting: http://www.thestar.com/News/article/180413

There’s also a slide show tribute at:

http://www3.thestar.com/cgi-bin/star_static.cgi?section=news&page=/Videos/070209_ts_michelle_hobor.html

MJ