beverly thomson
triumphs as she lives her dream – life after cancer

Today, at 39 this mother of two young children and wife of 14 years is living her dream. A job she’s passionate about that allows her to have the family life that is important to her, along with good health.

Beverly opened her life to her many supportive viewers when she filmed the mini-documentary Where There Is No Fear about her cancer treatment. She has since become a spokesperson for the Ontario Chapter of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. She took time out of her busy schedule to talk about her life, family, job and achieving her dream. Beverly inspires women across the country with her fearlessness and natural ability to be open and real.

H&L Someone who worked with you briefly remembered you as being sweet. “She treated us all so nicely, always there and very generous with her time.” I hear that from people you work with and your viewers.
Beverly That’s very kind, and really nice to hear. I’m a people person and would love to give people more time. But when I’m flying at a 150 mph it feels like I’m short changing people as I go.

H&L Has this awareness made you more conscious of the “people connection”?
Beverly Yes, especially in this business. My measuring stick is if I’m impressed with them on TV and meet them in person and they’re the same when the microphone is off then WOW - what a treat! Like Seamus and Jeff – they’re exactly the same on and off TV – hilariously funny and easy-going. It makes working a real pleasure.

H&L I certainly laugh every morning. Beverly, was there a challenge coming to Canada AM?
Beverly  Oh yes! Creating our rhythm - who’s going to set up, who’s doing the intro, who’s going to break. These signals are important to work out to make viewers comfortable. It took a little getting used to, but we developed a rhythm pretty quickly. Now chemistry - that’s different. Either you have it or you don’t. We had great chemistry right from the beginning. I learned quickly - Seamus and Jeff won’t let you down. We’re there for, and with one another to put out the best product we can.
We connect people with what’s happening with other people, nationally and internationally. It’s great fun sharing that with Seamus and Jeff, for me anyway, I think for them too, and I hope for the viewers. For me that’s chemistry in action.

H&L  As a viewer myself the chemistry shows. Could we talk about your challenge with cancer a bit?
Beverly  Sure, it was quite an experience and important to share. Although now I focus on living life - enjoying it and making a contribution.

H&L  A great attitude! When did you know there was a problem?
Beverly  I was doing a self-examination and found a big lump on my right breast. I went to the doctor the same day and had a lumpectomy a couple of days later. It was cancerous. It was quite a shock, there was no family history.

H&L  Do you remember your first thought when you found out that the lump was cancerous?
Beverly  Cancer was no stranger to me. My Mom died of cancer in 1985. More recently a good friend had breast cancer and her husband had colon cancer. I remember saying to her, “Well you know if you have to get cancer, its better to get breast cancer because of all the treatment available.” But when I was diagnosed I said to myself, “If anybody dares say that to me I’m going to cut their head off!” It doesn’t matter what kind of cancer it is - it’s still cancer.

Cancer, in the initial phase, before you get a chance to digest it says, “You’re going to die. You’re going to lose your life.” Then the next thought is, “Where else is it growing, where else has it spread?”

It takes an enormous length of time to go through the tests and get the results. In the meantime you look at your children’s pictures, try to deal with your husband, and your whole life kind of freezes. You can’t think of anything else until you come out of it through support from family, friends and support groups.

I went back to work right after I was diagnosed. That day was a fog. I didn’t want anyone at work to know. I decided that I could either sit and brood in my kitchen or go back to work and take my mind off of it momentarily, and it was just for a moment. I hit the ground running, kept going and never stopped. My decision served me well.

H&L  Was that a form of denial at the time?
Beverly  No! You can’t deny it. There’s never any denying it. The reality is you’re going to die. You research and diagnosis yourself on the internet – it’s all worked out.

I never stopped to wallow in it. I never said, “Why me?” I said, “Why my kids?” Cancer is so insidious and pervasive it touches everyone. Then it became, “Why everybody? Why cancer?” I got mad, “There’s way too much of this. What the hell’s being done? It’s hitting too many women, too early. There’s way too much cancer period!” That’s what ended up morphing its way into my relationship with The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. I wanted to find out about the research and what I could do to secure a future without breast cancer for my daughter and others.

H&L  So it was anger that brought you out publicly?
Beverly  The anger and disbelief were a real motivation. I don’t sit back. I keep moving forward - no yesterday. Tomorrow you don’t know, none of us do. The fact is cancer comes back - it just does. There’s no cure yet, I hope it’s when I’m 90.

I made a choice to move ahead. It’s ultimately that simple - to be happy, to fill life with good things and go on.

People worried when I took this job because I am a breast cancer survivor - the hours, the stress, and the deadlines. We know stress and lack of sleep play a role in cancer and not looking after yourself happens to so many in this business. But I stopped and said, “Wait a second – this is what I love to do!” That supersedes all that. I wanted it to work so I had to make it work by committing to being more disciplined and taking care of myself.

H&L  How do you take care of yourself now?
Beverly  By saying no! At the ripe old age of 39 I’m finally learning to say no?

H&L  What are you saying ‘no’ too?
Beverly  Over committing. Now I choose the events I want to MC carefully. I had been doing way too much of it at the expense of my health and my family. This job doesn’t allow me to MC an event until midnight - I wouldn’t be sharp at 3:30 am.