I first met Heidi in a Zoom call organized by Team Draft the summer of 2020. Right away it was easy to see that she is a loving person who genuinely cares about people. A few months later she told us (in a zoom call organized by Team Draft) that she was fed up with her cancer center’s reluctance to promote lung cancer awareness, that she had asked her husband Pierre to make a big white ribbon for their door, and then they started making them for friends and strangers. She generously sent them out to everyone on that call, even me in Canada. I was the only Canadian on that call and, knowing that international shipping can be expensive I didn’t want to ask. Heidi’s love and generosity made my concerns seem ridiculous. She wanted to give ribbons to everyone willing to stand up for lung cancer, to make people feel cared for. Heidi is rare and meeting her was very special.

Those first few ribbons have multiplied into a movement! Hundreds of lung cancer advocates are rising up with their ribbon, taking photo’s and posting on social media, raising lung cancer awareness across the US and Canada, and the Netherlands, the Philippines, Ireland and expanding across Europe in partnership with Lung Cancer Europe, as well as other growing international partnerships. Together we are driving change.

Heidi and Pierre have made 832 ribbons, and also assisted at other builds as they traveled around the US on The White Ribbon Project Tour. Heidi and Pierre have paid for all the ribbons they have made and sent, and all their expenses on the six-week tour. As they travelled around, rather than taking donations, Heidi and Pierre encouraged people to invest in their local community, to form a team, host a build or contribute to one, participate in making ribbons with love and giving them with love. Teams have been forming in many communities, and this is where the action happens!

We are very grateful for teams in Canada like Lisa and Bill Weir who have made 244 ribbons, Alvin and Carolanne Johns who have made 45, the Monds’ team who made 20, and others who are in process of team building.

The Ottawa team held a community build in solidarity with The White Ribbon Project Tour. People contributed their time, talents, supplies, food, drink, even hand sanitizer. In keeping with the inclusivity of The WRP, patients, caregivers, survivors, family, friends, doctors, nurses, administrators, politicians and others were invited. There was much love and laughter at our outdoor venue that hot August afternoon. What a gift to be together, building relationships as well as ribbons, loving and serving our community.

The Ottawa team knows that advocacy is relational work which doesn’t just happen during Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November. We are committed to making people aware and making people feel loved year round. That’s why we set up outreach tables in our cancer centre to welcome people, show them love and give them information. We started annual summits to gather the community and offer learning opportunities. We also gathered a team to put together a welcome package which includes a letter from lung cancer survivors with contact information. This is given out year round, to everyone newly diagnosed. The Ottawa team made a choice to be involved in making people aware, and making sure people know they are loved.

What is your cancer centre doing for Lung Cancer Awareness Month this November? What is the plan for lung cancer every day?

The White Ribbon Project is committed to making sure people affected by lung cancer know they are not alone. Together we are committed to changing the public perception of lung cancer. Together we are driving change. It takes a team of people who decide to take action to get the job done. Let’s work together! 

#TheWhiteRibbonProject #love #hope #inclusive #unbranded #international

www.TheWhiteRibbonProject.org