Renee Leaf’s Impact Speech

Transcript of Renee Leaf’s Impact Speech at Cork, Fork & Support on February 1, 2025 at Maryhill Winery.

“Good afternoon, thank you NWHH this opportunity to tell my story.

Six years ago, I helped open this Maryhill location with the lovely Collyn Scott pouring wine back there. Maryhill was also the place I met one of my best friends during that time that worked in the events department here. Little did I know it would be like meeting the older sister I never had. She flew here this weekend for me all the way from her hometown of Pittsburgh where she now resides.

Cancer is a roller coaster of up and down, twists and turns, light and dark, hope and fear.

NWHH is the light and the hope.

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Renee. I am 38, live in Edmonds and have been living with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast cancer for the last year and a half. I pride myself on being a daughter, sister, sister-in-law, cousin, friend, fashionista and being partners in crime with my 8-year-old niece and 5-year-old nephew. Cancer occupies a large part of my life, but I make it very well known it’s not me, it’s not my identity, just merely a part of my journey here on this Earth.

I still find time to enjoy long walks, getting my stride back for future 5 and 10k races, the sunshine, dressing up and wearing red lipstick, sipping and savoring wine and traveling as much as possible between my never-ending doctors’ appointments.

This afternoon I want to focus on the word HOPE. Afterall, the organization is called Northwest Hope and Healing. I received my first grant from the organization in the fall of 2023 during one of four rounds of infusion chemotherapy. I am not one to ask for help so given this kind of gesture while you’re still in shock over your diagnosis definitely helped to put my mind at ease.

I have received two more grants since that time. Though I may appear to have it all together or I attempt to, I am THAT single, childless, cat lady that cannot quit her job for insurance purposes. Juggling a job and a chronic illness is a daunting task, as one can imagine.

NWHH organization gives grants and healing boxes to others like myself as well as many women that are much less fortunate than I. Their lives may be more complicated and complex when it comes to housing, jobs, children, spouses, and finances.

Over the last year and a half, while stressing over copays and deductibles, I have had countless biopsies, four rounds of infusion chemo, oral medication that stopped working after eight months, two lumpectomies and 21 rounds of radiation. I spoke in November to the Windermere foundation on behalf of NWHH excitedly telling the audience how I was looking forward to my next scan as I was sure to be in remission or no evidence of active disease.

You would think by now that I would have learned that I have no control over cancer, but I was hopeful. My scan unfortunately showed progression. The cancer was back again with two new spots in my liver and instead of my rib and hip bone, this time it was my right femur.

Time for a new line of treatment, new sides effects and more unknowns.

Desmond Tutu once said that “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness”

My hope and light shown bright two weeks ago when I was accepted into a clinical trial at downtown Swedish First Hill. A woman in Poland choose not to participate and seek a third opinion elsewhere. My prayer was answered. It is a 2-year trial that has shown promising results for women in my similar situation with metastatic disease. Just four days ago I took my first dose of what is hopefully my miracle medication.

I will never lose hope on my journey but as Tutu mentioned there has been darkness. Cancer is a roller coaster of up and down, twists and turns, light and dark, hope and fear.

NWHH is the light and the hope. All of you here tonight are our hope in helping to find a cure. My journey and treatment with breast cancer will never be over. I ask you to look at me, look at those around you here tonight, survivors and those still in active treatment. Think of those being new diagnosed, afraid of their future. Help be our light.

Cancer affects us all. We need you to raise those paddles so we can forever keep hope alive that one day we will find a cure for breast and gynecological cancers.”