Brooke Boerson

Meet Brooke. She’s a 26-year old bad ass woman fighting Breast Cancer. She was diagnosed in June of this year, but that hasn’t stopped her from remaining positive and achieving life-long goals along the way. This October, she graduated from Western University with her Masters in Public Health. She was moved by the inequities that exist in public health systems, and wants to positively impact the ways marginalized communities experience health as a whole. 

When I met with Brooke to shoot a video and some photos for The Chica Project, she spoke about her ability to remain positive throughout her journey. Brooke explained the power of reflecting in a journal daily - small sentences to capture her feelings or what happened throughout the day to remain mindful on the tough days and grateful on the happy days. The women in her life have also made it easier on a daily basis -  they have been there for her to cry with, laugh with, and to be a shoulder to lean on. 

The greatest female role model in her life though, has been her Mother, Roxanne. Brooke spoke about her mom’s ability to balance the family’s needs with eloquence. She’s inspired to be a positive role model for other’s when she reflects on the impact her mom has had on her. It was clear that Brooke’s family has stood strong behind her throughout this journey - they all got matching tattoos that read “Hold The Line,” the title of a song that Brooke explained had special meaning for the whole family.

When I asked Brooke to reflect on what advice she would give other women going through difficult times in their lives, she said it was simple - “breathe.” The song that’s tattooed on the family is by Avicii, and the lyrics read “all the breath in your lungs, is stronger than the tears in your eyes,” which is a reminder to breathe and stay strong during trying times.