For Sue and Others – $10,000 Family Gift

Submitted by EKFH on 17-08-2012

Cranbrook, BC… Just over a year ago East Kootenay Foundation for Health was working on its marketing plan for the A Clear View ~ digital mammography campaign. That plan included the concept of Faces of the Campaign and the first two individuals to step forward to showcase their story were Sue Selby and her daughter Stephanie. A trip to Idlewild Park had photographers Chris Pullen and Cassidy Shankowsky of Cranbrook Photo pulling out all the stops to capture the essence of the spirit of a breast cancer survivor and one of her closest supporters.

What wasn’t known at the time of the photo shoot was that the very next day Sue and Stephanie would be making their way to Calgary for Sue to undergo a stereotactic biopsy since the equipment was not available in Cranbrook.

Her courage, hope and strength to face breast cancer a second time left an indelible mark on Sue’s husband Roger. “Sue has always been a very positive person and facing breast cancer not once but twice she has moved me deeply as she has refused to let this disease affect her life negatively.”

Roger also shared with Donna Grainger that his wife’s first biopsy was very difficult. When she returned from Calgary he distinctly remembers Sue saying that the stereotactic equipment had made the second biopsy so much easier that she wanted to help someone else and to make a difference now through not only her profile support of the campaign but also with a $500 gift of financial support.

Fast track to a year later and Roger Selby never forgot those words “to help someone else”. The Selby family have recently decided to sell their Fort Steele ranch and move into Cranbrook. It is at this time that Roger did something remarkable for the woman who he feels sets a stunning example of living each and every day to the fullest even with breast cancer. Roger, in honour of Sue and his family who stood firm beside her donated $10,000 to the A Clear View campaign to help all those other “someone elses”.

East Kootenay Foundation for Health had the honour and privilege to return to Idlewild Park this week to have the talented Cassidy Shankowsky once again capture the essence of the spirit of a breast cancer survivor and this time with a bevy of her supporters ~ the Selby family.

“The journey with the A Clear View campaign has taken me many places but one of the most treasured moments was to witness the love of a family who see their way clear to give back to community, to others with a breast cancer diagnosis and to a campaign that is going to change lives. I am one of the luckiest people in the world to be a part of something so wonderful,” shares Donna Grainger, EKFH Executive Director.

The A Clear View ~ digital mammography campaign has received an outpouring of support and sits at $855,000 towards it fundraising goal. If someone you love receives a breast cancer diagnosis, help the East Kootenay Regional Hospital become a center of excellence in breast cancer screening by making a campaign donation today, visit www.aclearview.ca to learn more.
 

L-R: Sue & Roger Selby, Heather, Emma & Rick Beckett, Ashley, Stephanie and Manuel Selby.   (Missing from family photo are Stephen Beckett, and Larry, Elspeth, Graham & Alistair Selby)   Photo compliments Cassidy Shankowsky, Cranbrook Photo