August 1, 2005 Tracey Delfs RMT, Life Coach and Dr. Monika Herwig ND see something at the Canmore Folk Fest that inspires them. Their business conversations begin.
August 25, 2005 Monika wonders why all women dont know about Dr. Sat Dharam Kaur ND and her comprehensive book on breast health and the connection with the environment. She writes Dr. Kaur, I'm writing because it has become clear to me that as a naturopathic doctor resonating with our 7 guiding principles I can not continue to work as a naturopathic doctor without including a bigger focus on the environment as part of root cause. I am a mom now and rereading the notes and book on the Healthy Breast Series you shared with us in 3rd year has affected me in a deeper way. I am keen to do something about this and to start teaching the Healthy Breast Series. I'd also like to start raising money for these courses and this information to be available to women in all communities and create some kind of organization that people can donate to that will be for the educational prevention of breast cancer, for lobbying re: the restriction of more harmful chemicals into the country and for thermography to be available as a tool to measure impact of lifestyle changes and breast care on breast health, etc. I'm wondering what it would take to have you come and teach in Calgary or Canmore. Let me know ---I'm feeling a real need to share the info you have laid out for us. Dr. Kaur responds right away Monika's enthusiasm is further ignited.
January, 2006 An e-mail is sent out: We are in the process of creating a package of temporary tattoos to empower women and raise awareness around breast cancer prevention (breast health education and funding for thermography) to be worn at the Pink Ribbon walks across the country let us know which words are most inspiring to you.
February, 2006 Tracey and Monika start thinking about what charity to donate a percentage of their profits too. Julie Budgen, Environmental Consultant, is excited about the business idea and the possibilities of making a big contribution to womens health and joins in. There is a common ground of excitement in the areas of education, empowerment of women, and of building awareness around the connection between the environment and womens health. Ideas start flying, synergy is ignited. LaLunaLove is formed.
March, 2006 The women come up with the idea of having a "pink" and "green" ribbon combined together with the intention of using the ribbon to educate people that environmental issues are one of the underlying causes of breast cancer. It really represents cancer prevention versus cure. This ribbon could be used by environmental groups as well as in the realm of breast cancer prevention. Its a perfect symbol to create more awareness that a healthy environment can lead to a healthy body Tracey writes to the others. The Pink and Green Ribbon is created. Stickers and tattoos are designed and ordered, the slogan Love your planet. Love your body. Love your life. is dreamt up and accompanies the new ribbon!
April 22, 2006 The 5-Week Healthy Breast E-Mail Series entitled The Cure is Prevention is launched on Earth Day. The response is very positive. A local woman, Julia Lynx, is the first to reply. Her reply e-mail is simple and to the point, COOL!
April 30, 2006 Karina Birch owner of Rocky Mountain Soap Company (RMSCo) receives the Healthy Breast E-Mails, resonates with our vision and an alliance of support is formed. RMSCo buys several copies of Dr. Kaurs book on Breast Health for the Exshaw, Canmore and Banff libraries.
May 27, 2006 Julie and Monika, their two little boys and around 30 committed locals show up in the pouring rain wearing pink and green to be part of the First Annual Bow Valley Rachel Carson River Walk/Run for Breast Cancer Prevention in Canmore. Lots of great planet-body friendly door prizes and pink and green ribbon tattoos on every kids face! A success.
August, 2006 The Mary Tidlund Charitable Foundation and LaLunaLove start talking. about the possibilities of creating a Charitable Organization to handle donations and support for the cause. The Mary Tidlund Charitable Foundation is involved with projects supporting womens empowerment and education all over the world and this project fits well. Paperwork and details start to get worked out.
March, 2007 - Tracey is called to work abroad more and Julia Lynx involved with and supportive of the vision from the very start joins Julie and Monika as LaLunaLove to continue the vision of the Pink and Green Ribbon.
April , 2007 - Exciting times! The final agreement is drafted and signed between the Mary Tidlund Foundation and LaLunaLove giving form to the Pink and Green Ribbon Health Program Fund. Having Charitable Status opens a lot of doors and opportunities; donations start coming in and ideas and dreams start to move into reality.
April 17, 2007 Julia puts in a lot of volunteer hours to get the Campaign on the web. Jerry Auld donates his expertise. Hip hip hurray for www.pinkandgreenribbon.com!
April 22, 2007 Leanne Allison leads the Earth Day Yogathon at the Civic Centre. This event and the first week of the Healthy Breasts E-Mail Series kicks off the 2007 Pink and Green Ribbon Campaign. Community Natural Foods Marketing Director Paul Kelly brings the Pink and Green Ribbon Campaign to the Calgary store. His assistant Adrienne Beattie works with Monika to create an educational postcard. The postcard features the Top 10 Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer they go like hotcakes. Stickers(for waterbottles, etc.) are sold at the stores checkouts and the 5 Week E-Mail Series goes up on their website. Great exposure.
May 12, 2007 Dr. Pat Wales ND is subsidized to come to Canmore to teach the Healthy Breasts for a Lifetime: Proactive Breast Care Workshop. Great turnout, fun educational event! Why are we just learning about this now?! Every woman needs to know this information was (and continues to be) the common consensus and feedback.
May 27, 2007 Second Annual Rachel Carson River Walk Celebration. Focus was on launching our Pesticide-Free Bow Valley Initiative. Barbara Kinnie from the Sierra Club was our guest speaker and her presentation entitled how to get your yard off drugs was excellent.
June 18, 2007 The Revolution Ride begins. Zhiish McKenzie and Heather Hendrie leave Nelson for Vancouver on their bicycles thrilled to be raising money and awareness about the Pink and Green Ribbon Campaign and Breast Cancer Prevention in such an active way. They raise over $1000.00!
July 4, 2007 Julia goes to a Michael Franti concert and gives Michael Franti a Pink and Green Ribbon t-shirt. He gives her a big hug.
December 2007 Leanne Allison and Julia Lynx spend the day sending off 90 of Dr. Kaurs books to libraries across Canada.
April 22, 2008 The start of the Third Annual Pink and Green Ribbon Campaign is celebrated with an Earth Day Yogathon Fundraiser. The focus of this years campaign is two-fold: to move our Pesticide Free Initiative closer to being a reality and to create Breast Health Ambassadors.
April 26, 2008 The First Annual Rocky Mountain Soap Company Womens Run was an enormous success. Breath-taking, blue sky day for the over 600 women who came from near and far to run in support of healthy choices for our planet and our bodies. Deep thanks to Rocky Mountain Soap Company owners, Karina Birch and Cam Baty, for their innovative approach to healthy living. Proceeds went to the Pink and Green Ribbon Health Program.
May 2, 2008 - Yoga with Dr. Sat Dharam Kaur ND at the Yoga Lounge - a memorable time for us all to breathe deeply and sing. Big thanks to the Lounge for sharing their beautiful space with Pink and Green for the evening.
May 3 & 4, 2008 Busy weekend for creating ambassadors for breast health! Monikas 2005 wish comes true and Dr. Sat Dharam Kaur ND comes to Canmore to teach health practitioners/educators and women from the community how to teach her Healthy Breast Program. Two Naturopathic Medical students from CCNM come to the workshop on a Pink and Green Ribbon Scholarship. This Healthy Breast Program is all about educating women on how to be proactive in maintaining breast health. Examining the known links between an unhealthy environment and the development of breast cancer was sobering and fuelled our passion for bringing attention to what the pink and green ribbon represents. We left the weekend empowered in our learning that there is much each of us can do to in maintaining and promoting healthy breasts and a healthier environment. Dr. Kaur declared Canmore the Breast Health Capital of the World. She was awe stuck by Canmores commitment to the environment. She saw the anti-idling signs by the rail road tracks and said, It can be done. On this same weekend in Canmore, Educator and Author Debra Curties (RMT) teaches registered massage therapists Therapeutic Breast Massage. Local massage therapists Vanessa Joosten and Tracey volunteer their time to pull the event off. Albertan therapists are subsidized by the Pink and Green Ribbon Health Program. Receiving regular breast massages and learning how to massage our own breast/s is a tremendous gift of health we can give to ourselves and our bodies. We recognize that this is still taboo for many. We believe strongly however that the taboo is on its way out and that as more and more massage therapists learn the techniques and the importance of providing this for women and as more and more women experience the health benefits that women the world over will say, this makes so much sense, why havent we been doing this sooner. We believe that women will choose health over taboo. Ask your RMT about breast massage. If you are an RMT who has this specialty, please let us know your contact information we are compiling a list for those who visit the website.
June 15, 2008 Sandra Mergler (MD and Cancer survivor) and Adrienne Lawlor run the Gericks Wasa Lake Triathalon and raise money for our Pesticide Free Initiative. Great Pesticide Free educational brochures are made and distributed.
October 2008 Dr. Christina Bjorndal ND (one of the Naturopathic Doctors who took Dr. Kaurs course in May 2008) writes a fantastic article about the Pink and Green Ribbon Campaign entitled Greening the Cancer Cause that is published in the Fall 2008 HANS (Health Action Network Society) magazine (www.hans.org).
December 14, 2008 After a busy summer and fall of meeting with businesses, golf courses and community interest groups and gathering community support, sample bylaws and educational materials Julie has everything needed to meet with Canmore Town Council. The power point presentation is ready to roll and the date is set to present to Council
February 17, 2009. Monika and Julia give Julie a big high five for all the work she and her volunteers have done. Thanks to Leigh Ann Betts, Gareth Thompson and Barb Kinnie who were key supports in this project. We are almost there!
April 25, 2008 Girls Weekend! Second Annual RMSCo Womens Run during the day and Pink and Green Ribbon Gala at night. The Gala will feature The Fates in concert, a Silent Auction, Belly dancing, and morein a word FUN! Dress code: Glamour and Glitz. Stay tuned for details
March 2009 News of the Pink and Green Ribbon Health Program makes it into Canadas popular womens magazine Chatelaine. The dream of having this information and perspective as common knowledge to all women is brought a huge step closer! The Future: Dreaming Big Being working moms with young children and full lives we like to focus our efforts by asking ourselves what would be the easiest way to fulfill our vision of having this information accessible to all women everywhere? Lately, the name Oprah Winfrey is what is coming strongly to mind. Yes, our dream is to have Dr. Sat Dharam Kaur and her book on Oprah. Given Oprahs commitment to womens health and the environment and thinking positively we are convinced that she will be absolutely on board with our vision. The only thing that has to happen is for her to know about us. You can help us make this happen e-mail Oprah about the Pink and Green Ribbon Campaign at Oprah.com_oprah.com. Lets see where the future takes us...
