The report, Cancer in Canada: Framing the Crisis and Previewing the Opportunity for Donors [PDF], specifically highlights pancreatic, stomach, lung, and colorectal cancers as the most underfunded diseases relative to their deadly impact on Canadians. In terms of charitable giving, these cancers represent an opportunity for donors to make a true impact on the lives of Canadians touched by these deadly diseases.

While increasing the survival rate of all cancers through prevention and treatment is always a key goal, the report points out that the need for palliative care—the care of cancer victims who will not survive—is significant and ever-growing. The availability of palliative care is essential  to enable cancer victims to “live out their lives in the greatest possible comfort, while reducing the burden on their loved ones and mitigating the escalation in Canada’s health care costs.” Funding palliative care would enables donors to make “an immediate and measurable difference.”

The DIVA Foundation supports this view of the significance of funding palliative care as part of the overall spectrum of treatment available to Canadians suffering with cancer and other diseases.

In 2009, the DIVA Foundation recognized Dr. Louise Coulombe, an Ottawa-based palliative care physician, for her extraordinary humanitarian help, care, and services to individuals, families, groups, and communities in the area of palliative care. She was awarded the DIVA Citation at the Celebrating Excellence in Hospice Palliative Care and Recognizing the Challenges luncheon hosted by the DIVA Foundation and the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA). The DIVA Foundation provided a donation to four charities of Dr. Coulombe’s choice: the Friends of Hospice Ottawa, Roger’s House, The Hospice at May Court, and The Palliative Care Outreach Program.

DIVA continues to be a strong supporter of palliative care in the community. This past weekend, the DIVA Board of Directors participated as volunteers at the 6^th Annual Hike for Hospice Palliative Care event, helping with participant registration and distribution of event T-shirts. For more information about Friends of Hospice, visit their web site: http://www.friendsofhospiceottawa.ca/home.html

To find out more about the Charity Intelligence Canada report and related topics, read the story on CBC.ca.

General admission: $25
English series: 3 tickets for $65
French series: 2 tickets for $45
5 tickets: $100
Students: $10
Seniors: $15

The first presentation, “Real Life Meets the Workplace – A Legal Primer”, featuring Janice Payne and a panel of her colleagues from Nelligan, O’Brien & Payne takes place on May 19 at the Southway Inn in Ottawa. Get your tickets now!

Drawing on their experience providing advice to employees and employers, nationally recognised employment law lawyer Janice Payne, along with Ainslie Benedict, Julie Skinner, and Ella Forbes-Chilibeck will canvass common legal issues that arise in the workplace. The panel will explore how legislators, arbitrators, and courts are gradually re-writing workplace law to acknowledge and address changing workplaces and the challenges of juggling “real life”—child care, elder care, family status, illness—with the expectations of employers. Visit the DIVA Foundation web site for complete information: http://divafoundation.org/sessions.html#Payne

All are welcome to attend and join the panel for a lively discussion of these issues. Refreshments will also be served.  Tickets are $25 (general admission), or $15 for students.

For tickets, email tickets@divafoundation.org or call Darlene at 613 444 0123.

The Golf Classic is being held at Loch March Golf and Country Club in Kanata, Ontario, and will feature:

• Eighteen holes of golf in a scramble format (with cart)
• Golf clinic with professionals
• Silent auction 
• Lunch and dinner

The DIVA Foundation Golf Classic is held annually to raise money for The DIVA Foundation’s Speakers’ Series. The Speakers’ Series provides affordable education for women about important women’s health issues. The 2012 series will address four pillars of women’s health: physical, mental, social, and financial. The Speakers’ Series will showcase some of the most notable experts in fields related to women’s health. The series will include five presentations in Ottawa or Gatineau and will be delivered in either English or French. Click here for more information on The DIVA Foundation Speakers’ Series.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For information, email golf@divafoundation.org.

For tickets, email golf@divafoundation.org or call Allyne at 613-730-3535.

After a hiatus of a few years and due to popular demand, 2011 sees the return of the Speakers’ Series.

For more information click here.

• women are less likely to recognize the symptoms of these diseases and seek treatment quickly
• men and women are often treated differently by the health system, with men receiving more prompt and proactive treatment
• women have a number of unique risks, such as pregnancy and menopause.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation has been running The Heart Truth campaign since 2008, to help educate women about their risk of heart disease and stroke. Visit the campaign’s web site, http://www.thehearttruth.ca/, to find out more about your risks, how to lead a heart-healthy lifestyle, and how to help spread the word to other women about keeping our hearts healthy.

The event is being hosted by the Itty Bitty Titty Committee, a group of women who participate in the annual Weekend to End Women’s Cancers. The weekend consists of a 60 km walk; participants raise money through sponsorships. All funds raised go towards supporting research, treatment, and prevention programs for breast and gynecologic cancers at the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. The Itty Bittys participate in the weekend as a team, and hold several fundraisers throughout the year leading up to the Walk to ensure that each team member meets the $2000 minimum raised to be permitted to walk.

For information about the Wine Sampling, or to reserve your spot, go to The Weekend Ontario Wine Fundraiser web site. Note that space is limited, and early bird registration ends on January 14.

The “Financial Lives of Girls and Women” survey was commissioned by Barbara Stewart, a portfolio manager at Cumberland Private Wealth Management Inc. The results indicate that women tend to be privately confident about their financial planning abilities, and an overwhelming majority of women are the key decision-makers in their households when it comes to personal finances. Over 90% of women are responsible for household spending, and often have the final word when it comes to family finances.

The survey showed that women have a lack of interest in conventional financial news sources (which tend to be geared toward male consumers). Women tend to prefer to rely on real-life examples provided in newspaper and television stories to help them make financial planning decisions.

The results of Stewart’s survey contradict the commonly-held assumption that women leave the financial planning to men.

To read more about the survey “The Financial Lives of Girls and Women”, see:

• The White Paper (PDF) prepared by Barbara Stewart.
• This article on advisor.ca.
• This article in The Globe and Mail.

The DIVA Foundation is calling for nominations for the next DIVA of Distinction. A DIVA of Distinction is a Canadian woman who fulfills the following characteristics:

• She is a role model for girls and women across Canada because of the healthy way she lives her life, has overcome obstacles, and/or pushes her own boundaries to become a better woman
• She helps or inspires other women to lead healthier lives through making lifestyle changes within one of the pillars of women’s health: physical, mental, social, financial.

A DIVA of Distinction may also have:

• Made significant achievements and inspired other women to strive for their own goals such as athletic, humanitarian, etc.
• Overcome a physical or mental disability to achieve remarkable feats
• Influenced and helped others achieve healthy lifestyles and fulfil their dreams thereby creating a community of healthy women
• Promoted and encouraged healthy lifestyles by her actions and contributions
• Supported other women by providing them with skills and tools to advance in the workplace or in society
• Overcome health issues and use her experiences to help others
• Helped immigrant women integrate into the local community to improve their overall health and well-being
• Volunteered her services to create healthier communities of women

In 2009, the DIVA Foundation awarded their first DIVA of Distinction recognition to Meagan McGrath, a Canadian adventurer who, at the tender age of 33, has climbed the “Seven Summits”, run across the Sahara desert, and has skied unsupported to the South Pole.  You can read more about Meagan and what makes her a DIVA of Distinction here.

The deadline for nominations for the next DIVA of Distinction is January 1. The decision will be shared with candidates on March 1. For complete information about the nomination process and criteria for the DIVA of Distinction award, go to: http://www.divafoundation.org/Nomination.html

Nominations can be submitted by anyone via nominations@divafoundation.org using the nominations form.