Brigitte Davlut was a friend and supporter of Rethink who passed away from breast cancer just a few days after her 33rd birthday. Brigitte was a vibrant, young woman, and such a valuable advisor to our charity. We at Rethink miss Brigitte greatly.

From the moment we met Brigitte, she had an immediate impact on us. She was smart, funny, outgoing and so full of ideas. She was eager to share her story and passionate about raising awareness of the unique issues that affect young women with breast cancer. She was positive and upbeat (her mom describes her as a ray of sunshine) but she was all of this in a very “real” way. We always appreciated her sarcastic edge and wry sense of humour.

She was one of the first women who really made us aware of the unique needs facing young women with breast cancer and influenced our decision to expand our charitable objectives to include funding supportive care programs for young women with breast cancer.

Brigitte had inflammatory breast cancer, an aggressive and rare form of the disease. She was given a very poor prognosis at the time of her initial diagnosis three years earlier. Brigitte approached treatment and recovery with the same rigor she approached everything in life. She did tons of research and made sure she was informed on everything that came her way. Her oncologist once mentioned that she was often better informed and prepared for the medical meetings than the medical people themselves! She participated in support groups, did yoga, meditated, networked with survivors, received therapy, and modified her eating habits — anything that would give her an edge and help in her fight against the disease.

Defying expectations, Brigitte did well and became sort of a “poster-child” for young women with breast cancer. Her outgoing personality, articulate communication style and flair for research and writing meant she was sought out to participate in media interviews, documentaries, newspaper articles and speaking engagements. She loved making a difference.

It was obviously devastating when the news arrived that the breast cancer had come back and with a vengeance. Brigitte maintained a positive attitude even days before she died when she was in excruciating pain. She could still smile and her eyes were still bright. She wanted to be aware and to end her journey with purpose.

Brigitte wanted to take her dreadful disease and make something good out of it by helping other young women affected by breast cancer. Rethink Breast Cancer has produced the Chemo Care Guide as a tribute to Brigitte - a way to capture her legacy and help other women who are coping with chemo.

Thank you, Brigitte, for sharing so much of your self with us. We miss you!