Executive Director’s Message ~ Andrea Shaw

from the hearth

86 Colborne St. West, Oshawa L1G 1L7

Tel. 905 579-4833 ∙ Fax. 905 579-1204

www.hearthplace.org ∙ e-mail: hearthplace@hearthplace.org Newsletter for November/December2016

The changing of the seasons always brings with it a certain poignancy as we experience the inevitable beginnings and

endings in our lives. Just as weather changes with the seasons, so too, does our life’s experiences and traditions. As

we put the garden to bed, close up the gazebo, visit the cottage for the last time until next summer, we also reap the

bounty of the summer crops, enjoy the vibrant colours of the leaves and experience the excitement of getting back

to our regular routines and activities after the usual summer break. We celebrate family and the many blessings in

our life with gratitude over Turkey Thanksgiving dinner. It was great fun for my family as we introduced my 2 year old

grandson to our thanksgiving traditions of visiting the Knox pumpkin patch, apple picking at Archibald’s and visiting

Tyrone Mill for homemade cinnamon donuts. There will always be seasons of health or dis-ease either simply from

the normal aging process or from a diagnosis of illness. As much as we embrace and understand the inherent imper-

manence in life, there is also a comfort and confidence that seasons pass and things remain the same even if altered

and transformed in some ways. Elders pass the torch to the next generation and the legacy of our lives continues

and is cherished.

Hearth Place celebrates our 20th anniversary in 2017 and we will be embarking on a new season of expansion to our

centre both physically and with program development as we prepare for the needs of our members over the next

ten years. I am filled with gratitude when I think of how each of our members impacts on the other providing under-

standing, support and holding each other up in seasons of challenge and cheering each other on in seasons of hope

and recovery. We recently had our spaghetti dinner with over 300 in attendance and it feels good to know our ex-

tended Hearth Place family will always be there to love and support each other.

Throughout all the seasons of our life, one constant remains; the need to find moments of joy and gratitude through-

out it all. As we enter the busy and hectic holiday season I invite you to search out as many moments of joy as you

can. It might be beautiful music, time spent with family and friends, a moonlit night with, dare I say, crisp white

snow on the ground, a written passage that moves and inspires you, a gentle hug.

We are very grateful to the many private donors, corporations, businesses and community organizations who contin-

ue to provide the funds to keep our doors open as well as all the people who attend our fundraisers and volunteer

their time and talents. We have already begun receiving donations and calls from families wanting to provide sup-

port for our members over Christmas. It is a season for one wishing to pay it forward and one to graciously receive.

In the weeks ahead, we will be mailing our annual direct mail campaign letter. We will have many expenses as we

expand the centre and continue to create new programming. We appreciate your gifts of financial support and your

gift of time. (Carolyn will be so grateful if you take a shift to Christmas wrap at the Oshawa Centre this December)

From our Hearth to yours, we wish you the gifts of love, health, peace and happiness this Christmas and in the year

ahead.

In Memorium

We send our warm thoughts and condolences to the families of:

Richard Gaboury, Steven Crites, Claire Peirce, Sandra Valentini, Richard Thompson, David Devine, Craig Noyes, Kathleen Clancy, Bonnie Niedojadlo, Peter Kanellis, Gail Dawson and Nelly Liu.

Thank you to the families of Claire Peirce, Sandra Valentini, Richard Thompson, Peter Kanellis and Nelly Liu for directing In Memoriam donations to Hearth Place.

Our Community

Thank you to the young people who donated their hair for wigs: Kelsey Miller, Mikayla Kidd, Arlene Jones,

Quinn Smith, Jessie Barbour, Grace Powless, Christine Mok, Rebecca Osmond, Nicole Mastrangelo, Melanie

Hicks Mikayla Kidd, Matthew Bujok and Lindsey Griffith.

Matthew

Deborah Flynn donated 10 'chemo' gift bags for women

newly diagnosed with breast cancer and receiving

chemotherapy treatment. The bags contained a variety

of very helpful and comforting items including Buffs,

adult colouring books and pencils, journals, mints, etc.

The gift bags were gratefully received by our members.

Thank you Deborah.

Mikayla

Thank you to all of our kind supporters who donated wigs, hats, prosthetics, blankets and afghans.

Our thanks go to: Marie Krann, Leanne Foster, Frank Workman, Jean Bezzant, Phoebe Woodill, Theresa Leone, James

Darnley, The Tammy Young Fund, Nicole Dotkiewicz, Holly Kearney, Barbara Campbell, Knots Prayer Shawl Group and

the knitting group at the Court of Brooklin for over 20 colourful hand knitted blankets. A special thank you to Gwen

Slaght for donating 1,000 of her beautiful hats to our members. Theresa Leone brought in two big bags of ‘titbits’

which she knitted for our members.

Lindsay

Kelsey

Gwen Slaght spent a year crocheting 1,000 beautiful colourful

hats. Gwen brought them into Hearth Place and many of our

members are enjoying these wonderfully warm hats! Thank

you so much Gwen.

The ladies from the

Court of Brookln with all

the colourful blankets

they knitted for our

members

3 3

Event Information For more event information, please contact Irena at 905-579-4833 or irena@hearthplace.org.

What a great night! The room was packed, everyone was laughing, talking and enjoying themselves. We had surprise visits from Chase from PawPatrol, Leonardo from the Ninja Turtle and even Spiderman showed up! Thanks to our sponsors, donors, guests and our members, we raised

over $11,200 for Hearth Place!

Please check out our website to view and download more photos from the evening at

www.hearthplace.org/spaghetti.

Thank you!Thank you!

The Lakeside Food Truck at the Whitby Kiwanis Park raised money and awareness

about Hearth Place in the month of October donating $1,000 to Hearth Place programing! Thank you for your amazing

work, and your delicious food.

This group of Hockey moms have been raising funds through

a yard sale and donating to Cancer in memory of their

friend. We are very grateful to receive this year’s funds of

$2,174.00. Thanks to Maryke, Lorraine, Alison, Erica, Nancy,

Patti, Debbie, and Kelly.

We are incredibly grateful to Diana Hills

and all the team at Veridian Connections

for donating a portion of the proceeds

from their golf tournament to Hearth

Place in the amount of $10,000. The

weather was beautiful and the tourna-

ment first class. Thanks to Veridian for

their deep commitment to many worthy

Event Information Hearth Place is self-funded through donations and fundraising events.

4 For more event information, please contact Irena at 905-579-4833 or irena@hearthplace.org.

PICTURES AVAILABLE AT: w w w. h e a r t h p l a c e . o r g / i n s i d e r i d e

Every parent’s dream is to have a healthy, active child. To learn that your child has cancer is heartbreaking. 1 in 330 individuals will be diagnosed before their 20th birthday. Today 80% of childhood cancers are 'curable' but the long term side effects (late effects) from treatments may be with a child for life. With our Pediatric Cancer Family Support Program, we can help families through this journey. With our second annual Inside Ride, on September 25th, YOU have helped these families. There was lively music, fun, dancing, cycling, and a lot of smiles! With everyone’s efforts we have raised over $25,000 for Hearth Place’s Pediatric Cancer Family Support Program.

We want to especially thank Fer-Pal, our title

sponsor. With their help, 100% of the

pledges raised came back to Hearth Place.

Our thanks to Manny Rosario for hosting our

ride at the Enterprise Airlines hangar. One lucky team even won a flight donated by Manny immediately following the event.

Make plans now for some fun in the middle of your winter! Join other supporters and members of Hearth

Place on Thursday, January 26th for your choice of a fun day on the slopes or a relaxing day at the spa.

Skiing or snowboarding will be available at Craigleith Ski Club, an exclusive, private ski club in picturesque

Collingwood. Alternatively, spend your day relaxing in the various baths at Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain

and return home refreshed and rejuvenated. Transportation to Collingwood, breakfast, après ski,

cocktails, dinner, and door prizes are included with both options.

For more information and to purchase tickets for

the Ski & Spa day please see our website.

Act fast to make sure you don’t miss out on

this mid-winter fun!

Event Information

Hearth Place is self-funded through donations and fundraising events.

Featuring our Hearth Place Third Party Events...

For more event information, please contact Irena at 905-579-4833 or irena@hearthplace.org.

Thank you to the staff at OPG who directed the proceeds of their staff 22nd Golf Tournament to Hearth Place in memory of Pamela Cranford. They donated $1,100!

Thank you to The Mortgage

Centre’s team for organizing their

First Annual Golf Tournament.

They raised $11,900 towards the

new wing being added to Hearth

Place in 2018!

Tickets available at Hearth Place

Children work their way through ten stations, get their official passport stamped each time, and end in a Snowman Inspection right before they visit Santa! Arrive a child, leave as one of Santa's Snowmen! Children admission $20 per child; Adult admission - non-perishable food items

This year’s Canadian Corp 6th Annual Dart Tournament raised $2,150 for Hearth Place. Thank you for their ongoing support year after year. Carolyn Ward with Sonja

What a successful Goodnight Blues evening in August with Savoy Brown. Thanks to our sponsors, The Royal Oak, and

Vickery Electric we raised over $4,000 for Hearth Place!

Photo by J. Summaria

Registration is required for all programs.

Please call Janette 905 579 4833 or email

Janette@hearthplace.org

Hearth Place Programs

Managing the Holidays When You Have Cancer Workshop

Friday, November 25th from 9:15 – 11:15 am

The holidays can be stressful and overwhelming for anyone. When you have cancer, it can

feel even more stressful. In this workshop, facilitated by the DRCC Social Workers, we will

talk about how you:

-Can plan ahead for the holidays.

-Can find ways to lessen your stress.

-Can find enjoyment in the holidays.

After Breast Cancer – Prostheses Clinic

We are proud to have partnered with the After Breast Cancer Charity (ABC) to offer a prostheses and bra fitting clinic here at Hearth

Place on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. ABC will offer bras, camisoles and breast prostheses to women with no insurance and

limited financial resources at NO cost to them after breast removal surgery (mastectomy and lumpectomy). This clinic is by ap-

pointment only Tuesday, November 8th or Tuesday, December7th. Please contact Janette for an appointment at 905-579-4833 or

Janette@hearthplace.org.

Laughter Yoga Workshop!

Thursday, November 24th from 1:30—2:30 pm

Join us as we laugh and de-stress with Lisa O’Leary,

Certified Laughter Yoga Leader. The benefits of

Laughter Yoga include reducing stress, increased

concentration and relaxation. It also helps to

eliminate negative emotions and build self-

confidence.

“Discover how important laughter really is to

achieving a balanced, healthy and joyful life!"

“Compress Yourself” Lymphedema Education Workshop

Thursday, November 17th from 6:00-8:00 pm

Join us for an informational evening about Compression for

lymphedema care. The evening will include presentations and

an opportunity to meet the reps from Juzo, Mediven, Jobst and

Sigvaris and hear about what is new and upcoming in the " world

of compression".

Please register by November 14th.

Look Good Feel Better

Hearth Place is pleased to host The Look Good Feel Better

Program which is a national public-service program dedicated

to helping Canadian women living with cancer manage the

appearance-related side effects of cancer and its treatment.

A boost to their morale and an improved self-image are often

the result, making them better able to face their disease with

greater confidence. Morning and afternoon

sessions are available. We host the Look

Good Feel Better program on the Third

Tuesday of each month. Please register at

www.lookgoodfeelbetter.ca or call Hearth

Place for more information.

A new 6 week series of our Gynecological Support

group for women affected by gynecological cancers

will be starting in 2017. Please contact Hearth Place to

register for this group.

Young Hearts Support Group

for men and women ages 25-40 with a cancer diagnosis.

Topics include living with fear, anger, sadness, coping with treatment, cancer’s impact on your relationships, how to sup-port your children, life after diagnosis, how to find hope and happiness and so much more. Our next 6 week support group will begin in early 2017. Call to add your name to our wait list.

Coming in January!

Evening yoga for

our members who

cannot make the

daytime classes.

Community continued

Embracing your body’s natural rhythm, and how it impacts your health

By Dr. Hayley Erdman, ND. Durham Natural Health Centre

Did you know you have rhythm? And no, I’m not talking about your percussion abilities! You have rhythm because your body and all the systems within it work on a 24-hour cycle. This is called your circadian rhythm.

This 24-hour cycle means that certain processes happen in your body at specific times of day and night. Circadian rhythms regulate sleep, the immune system, temperature, kidney function and gene activity. During the day, this means that you prioritize feeding, activity and metabolism, while at night your body focuses on rest and repair. Your body relies on cues from the environment, through exposure to light and darkness, to re-calibrate your body clock every day. When you are exposed to light, the master clock in your brain (called the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus - what a mouthful!) receives a signal to control the production and release of certain hormones. These hormones, the most important of which are cortisol and melatonin, act as signals to the rest of the body, telling them what time it is to synchronize their activities and to regulate the functions that should happen in the body in a 24 hour pattern. In a person with healthy circadian rhythms, cortisol, which gives us the boost to get up and go, should peak shortly after waking and melatonin production, which promotes restful sleep, should begin in the evening, peaking in the middle of the night.

There is an emerging link between disruptions to circadian rhythms (such as shift work, jet lag, and light exposure at night) and health problems like cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, hypertension and depression. The cancer-circadian rhythm connection has been demonstrated in studies of night shift work in nurses, and their associated increased risk of breast cancer (Davis, 2001). The researchers found that night shift work is associated with reduced melatonin levels, and suggested that had an impact on cancer development. While research is ongoing, we know that getting a good night’s sleep is beneficial for our overall health and wellbeing.

Here are some strategies that can support healthy circadian rhythms and may help you in creating sleep habits that promote a more restful night.

Expose yourself to light during the day:

In order for your internal body clock to re-set itself each day you need to be exposed to light during the day and darkness at night. Ideally, light exposure is in the blue wavelength of the spectrum. The best source of this is the sun so ensuring that you have at least 15-30 minutes outside per day can help you in synchronizing your body clock. If you find it difficult to get outside, or you are a shift worker, consider investing in a light therapy lamp and maximize whatever exposure to blue wavelength light that you can during the day - opening curtains and sitting near windows, turning the brightness up on your cellphone or computer screen, and using breaks to step outside to remind your body it is daytime.

Go screen-free - avoid blue wavelength light in the evening

These days, screens from electronic devices are constant companions. From the moment we wake up, we count on our computers, cellphones and televisions for work, information and entertainment. This step may be difficult for some, but reducing your exposure to blue wavelength light at night, can help with improving melatonin production in the evening, when it is needed to promote sleep. Strategies may include:

Avoiding screen use for the last 1-2 hours of the day.

Using dimming switches or less lights on at night.

Using filters that change blue wavelengths of light into red/orange wavelengths so they don’t affect melatonin production (a down-loadable filter for your computer screen can be found at www.justgetflux.com.

Using amber tinted glasses (can be found on Amazon) while watching screens at night.

Create a bedroom environment that supports sleep.

Let’s take a look at where you sleep. Is there light coming into your room? Does your alarm clock beam into your face while you sleep? Is it a place for watching TV or texting on your phone? Do you sit in your bedroom to do work? Is it stuffy and warm? All of these factors are important considerations in creating a space that promotes sleep, rather than hindering it. Blackout blinds, reducing sources of light and screens in the bedroom, making your room a place for sleep and intimacy only and maintaining a cool temperature are all the foundation for promoting sleep and melatonin production.

These are just some ideas to get you started on the path to healthy circadian rhythms and sleep patterns. If you are having difficulty with achieving a restful night’s sleep, consider speaking to your medical doctor or naturopathic doctor for strategies to help.

Groundskeeping and

Snow Removal Imperial Coffees and Teas

Photocopiers and Supplies

Thanks to our ongoing suppliers listed below:

We are grateful for the following community donations in support of the services provided at Hearth Place. Ours thanks go to:

Scarborough Chapter #231 Order of the Eastern Star. Worthy matron Mrs. Lynn Rogers selected Hearth Place during her

term of office raising $1,198.00 from activities throughout the year.

Ontario Power Generation Inc. Employee and Pensioners’ charity trust donated $336.00.

United Way of Ottawa forwarded employee donations directed to Hearth Place for $304.00.

United Way of Lower Mainland forwarded $138.32 in donations designated specifically for Hearth Place.

Residents Council Durham Christian Homes donated $170.55 from a recent worship service.

Faith United Church Women donated $250.00.

Maple Grove United Church Women donated $75.00.

With Warm Thanks

Volunteers still needed

For our Christmas Wrapping

In the Oshawa Centre We are still in need of wrappers for the evening and

week-ends during this busy time. Individuals, high

school students, families, work colleagues, social

groups and retirees! All are welcome.

Please contact Carolyn@hearthplace.org or

Phone: 905 579 4833

Thank you!

We are in need of new items for our kids

care packages. This includes crayons,

small toys, colouring books, stickers, hair

accessories, squishy toys, puzzles and games for chil-

dren 3-12 years.

From our Community

If you have any empty medicine bottles Hearth Place will gladly take

them for the Lion’s Club. We are also collecting the big outside bags

that hold the 3 inside bags of milk. These are woven into mats for

3rd world countries. You may drop these at reception at Hearth

Place to the attention of Debbie Dawson. Thank you.