Honourary Bat Girl






I was in remission for four years after my stage 2 diagnosis and then, nine days before our wedding, I found out the cancer was back and it was metastatic.



I was lucky enough to get signed up for a clinical trial that has kept me stable for the last 21 months. The clinical trial starves my cancer of estrogen of which my particular breast cancer ‘feeds’ off. The active drug has just been approved by the FDA in the States as a first line of defense for advanced breast cancer. As my husband says ‘you helped make that happen.’ It’s a pretty great feeling.

Less than six months after my stage 4 diagnosis, my brother and his girlfriend nominated me to be the Toronto Blue Jays Honourary Bat Girl. To qualify, you had to have ‘gone to bat against breast cancer’ and be a Toronto Blue Jays fan; I qualified. I didnt win but the woman who did, a fellow Rethink Breast Cancer advocate, Michelle Riccio, also had stage 4 breast cancer and so I was thrilled that young women were getting exposure regardless of if I won or not. The crowd was seeing a face that didn’t resemble our grandmothers’.

This year, my husband Keith nominated me. Thanks to the people who surround me and love and support me – I like to refer to them as ‘Team Katie’ – I won. I was this year’s Toronto Blue Jays Honourary Bat Girl.



When MLB called from New York City to tell me that I won, I couldn’t contain my emotions. I cried for most of the conversation. So many of my days are spent at the hospital, attending appointments, having procedures, or on the phone with doctors. Knowing that I got to be part of the Toronto Blue Jays organization, if even in an honourary role, was pretty astounding.

We all know what the pink ribbon represents but very few women under the age of 50 think it applies to them.



I tell women, if your doctor says you’re too young to have breast cancer, tell her about me.

Being diagnosed at 26, more than half the age of the average, presents different challenges, including financial burdens (I had just graduated university with 3 degrees and had student loans), I hadn’t made a name for myself in the work world, and cancer robbed us of having children. Needless to say, it presents different isolating issues than women diagnosed in their 50s, 60s, and 70s.

This contest made the isolation, that I as a young woman experience, such a miniscule part of my day as complete strangers were messaging me, supporting me, and sharing their own stories related to cancer. It was empowering.



I was recognized on the Rogers Center field and my story was told to thousands sitting in their seats about to watch the Jays take on the Seattle Mariners. I was presented with flowers by Jays pitcher Marco Estrada, given an MLB jersey, watched the game with my family from a suite and have memories that will last a lifetime.

After the game, about 30 of us headed over to the Amsterdam Brewhouse for dinner and drinks to celebrate the big day. I had emailed them a few weeks before, explaining the day’s events and asking if they could accommodate our large group. They emailed back explaining how they would love to host and just like that we had a place to convene after the big game.

What I didn’t know was that while I was preparing for the game, Amsterdam Brewhouse was doing some homework on me.

As Keith and I walked into the restaurant, and as my family and friends rose to their feet to clap and cheer, I noticed all of the servers had pink ribbons pinned to their uniforms. I gave some hugs, had some quick conversations and sat down across from my mom at the end of the table.

Not long after ordering some water, one of the restaurant managers came over to introduce himself. He started by telling our table that the pink ribbons that I had seen were in honour of me. The restaurant had seen some of the advocacy work that I had done and referred to me as an inspiration. He continued by saying that the pink ribbons were meant to help spread awareness to their customers about the disease and young women with breast cancer. This is when my mom’s tears started falling. He also said that the staff at the Amsterdam Brewhouse were donating money throughout the night and once they had collected everyone’s donations, the organization of my choosing would receive the funds in my name. I hopped up from my chair and hugged the manager and thanked him profusely. What a generous act of kindness and thoughtfulness.

At the end of the night, I asked for my bill for my husband and I. It was brought over minutes later with a note that read:

‘This one is on us. Thank you for coming in and being so amazing.’ The balance was $0.00.



Just to clarify, Amsterdam Brewhouse was a place I had never been before, it was chosen based on its reviews, being harbourfront and its proximity to the Rogers Center and its size, which could accommodate our large group. I wasn’t an employee’s sister or a past server. I didn’t know anyone there nor had I ever stepped through their doors. They did this essentially for a stranger.

Yesterday, Amsterdam Brewhouse donated $221 in my name to Rethink Breast Cancer who without question is my organization of choice.

I can’t thank Amsterdam Brewhouse and Rethink Breast Cancer enough for making me feel special, loved and supported through my continued breast cancer experience.



 

– Katie Davidson

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Registered Charity #: 892176116RR0001

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