Author: stickit2stage4

Wildfire Magazine is the very first magazine by and for young women with breast cancer. Editor April Stearns published their February/March issue this past Saturday, February 1st. Each issue comes with a different theme as well as their regular issue features such as Reader Stories, Yoga & Recipes, and Tell Your Story. This issue shines a spotlight on the Changemakers within the breast cancer arena. These are women who have realized an unmet need through their individual cancer experiences and are doing some incredible things about it. They tell their story in this issue in their own words.

Rebecca Timlin-Scalera was one of the chosen Changemakers to be featured in this issue. Unfortunately, she passed before she was able to write her story. It was my great privilege to honor Rebecca in this issue. I wanted the focus of my piece to highlight how hands-on Rebecca was running The Cancer Couch. If you would like to read the entire issue, you can get a digital or print copy HERE.  Subscription options can be found HERE.

Remembering Rebecca

It is so easy to get pulled down into the yuck that surrounds you when the words “it’s cancer” are said to you. I should say it’s so easy to stay there when pulled down into it. Metastatic cancer is a whole other elephant (see what I did there?), and it’s even harder to pull yourself out of the yuck when facing that diagnosis. I know very few people that have glanced at the yuck, said, ‘Oh hell no!’ and went on to do what no other volunteer patient run non-profit has ever done for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) research.

The Cancer Couch

It sounds like an odd name for a metastatic breast cancer non-profit: The Cancer Couch Foundation. The irony wasn’t lost; it makes perfect sense. Professionally, Dr. Rebecca Timlin-Scalera was a neuropsychologist. That conjures up images of patients lying on couches as they talk about their childhood. While Rebecca was recovering from the effects of chemo, she was where most folks hang out – on her couch. Rebecca went from sitting in front of the couch to recovering ON the couch.

Rebecca saw the need for change. She recognized that those who have breast cancer that metastasized, they would essentially be left behind due to the lack of necessary funding. Rebecca didn’t wish for change; she didn’t hope for change. Rebecca CREATED change. She did it all with grace, humor, and dignity.

The First Fundraiser

Rebecca created and organized her first fundraiser shortly after the foundation was an official 50c3 in 2016. An ingenious idea that involved teams of local school kids eating as much ice cream as possible in front of the local ice cream parlor. Teams were required to raise a minimum amount with an ambitious overall goal of $18K. The owner of Saugatuck Sweets generously donated the use of his store and staff for the event, while behind the scenes, the distributer donated all the ice cream. Over $20K had been raised that June afternoon. Due to its success, the Scoops Challenge is popular at other schools in different cities all over the country, with the funds raised going to metastatic breast cancer research.

The Cancer Beat

If a rock concert and a live auction had a baby, it would be The Cancer Beat. This gala benefit held in Rebecca’s home town of Fairfield, CT, is the party of the year. Musical guests have included: The English Beat, Howard Jones, G Love, and The Special Sauce and this past September The Wailers. I was excited to be there for the first annual Cancer Beat. I had no idea what to expect. In true Rebecca fashion, there was a blue couch (with the high heel shoes next to one end) where Rebecca was taking photos with each guest. We were all dressed in our rock star chic. While we all knew why we were there, how important it was to raise money for MBC research, the whole night was fun, exciting and, memorable. We all partied like we were rock stars.

Joining Talents

Rebecca made connections. She liked to work with other people and organizations. Begining in 2017, Rebecca enlisted the help of bloggers for a new partnership with New York-based marketing consultant, Shari Brooks, who’s mother Judy (an avid baker) died from MBC. Imagine raising money without selling, asking for, or collecting and money. Choose one of Judy’s recipes to bake and post a photo using the hashtag #BakeItHappen! Each shared and tagged photo raises money for MBC research. ($200K to date)

Her foundation joined together with Twisted Pink and Hope Scarves to create the Metastatic Breast Cancer Collective in 2017. Altogether they raised $60,000, which was matched, bringing the total to $1.2 Million. That money funded two specific projects, one in each of the labs supported by the Cancer Couch.

#Reason4FreezinMBC

This past spring, Rebecca introduced a viral challenge on The Today Show. Hundreds of people made videos of themselves, friends, and family eating anything cold – the catch? It had to be done hands-free. Not as easy as you’d think. Afterward, people uploaded the video with #Reason4FreezinMBC and encouraged others to do the same as well as donate to MBC research. In the first week of the challenge, $25K was raised.

One of Rebecca’s last public interviews was this past October. She was featured on ESPN’s Outside The Lines to talk about her foundation for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and her days as a D1 college soccer player!

From the Scoops Challenge, #Reason4FreezinMBC viral challenge, to their most significant annual event – The Cancer Beat, all of the fundraisers for the Cancer Couch raised thousands of dollars for MBC. Each year has been more successful than the last.

Educating the public was just as important to Rebecca. In every article, interview, podcast, or conversation where she shared her story, Rebecca had a way of making you want to hear more even if what she was saying was sad or didn’t have a happy ending. She was engaging and had a way of drawing you in.

So, where is the money going?

Two leading scientists working on the most promising research at the top cancer centers in the US were chosen. That kind of science requires big money. Big money is what they are getting due to Rebecca’s tenacity and the overwhelming support from her immediate family, her Fairfield family, and the community at large.

Sadly, Rebecca passed away this past December 2019. But also, at the end of 2019, a staggering 3M dollars went into those Cancer Couch Foundation selected labs dedicated to Metastatic Breast Cancer Research. Three groundbreaking papers have come from being funded by Rebecca’s foundation thus far. Rebecca’s legacy and the work of the Cancer Couch Foundation will live on.

“Some people want it to happen; some wish it would happen; others make it happen.”
– Michael Jordan

I lost track of the number of times I thanked April for thinking of me to write about the amazing accomplishments Rebecca made in such a painfully short time to help improve and lengthen the lives of those impacted by metastatic breast cancer. It was truly an honor. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t also acknowledge April Stearns and the Wildfire team for being significant changemakers in their own right. Not only does April produce a beautiful publication, but Wildfire also gives back. Since 2017, a portion of new and renewed subscriptions are donated to the Cancer Couch Foundation and Metavivor.