Former College
instructor
founds project
for breast
cancer

n October 29, surrounded by
friends and volunteers, founder
Judy Reimer took the first stitches
in the Life Quilt at the Kitsilano
Community Centre.

Reimer was an instructor in Douglas
College’s Psychiatric Nursing Department
from 1987 to 1992 until breast cancer
forced an end to teaching. Her battle
continues unabated as the disease
continues to spread, but she says she has
been lucky to have friends there for her
during the most difficult parts of her
illness.

“T want to make the path easier for
those women and families who will surely
follow me,” she said.

Last may, Judy asked Anna Jajic of the
Psychiatric Nursing Department to help her
begin the Life Quilt project. Anna is now
on the project’s executive and will be
directing its research into the needs of
British Columbians living with breast
cancer.

The Life Quilt symbolizes the warmth
and caring of neighbours helping each
other. Work on the first three panels has
begun and will continue as the quilt travels

For your benefit

 

This is the second edition of a column
intended to provide College employees
with more information about the benefits
of working at Douglas College. Often
that means items from the collective
agreements that can save you money, such
as last month’s column on how to file
health expense statements. That kind of
information, although important, can be
fairly heavy to take in, so we want to also
tell you about some services around the
College that may not be widely used by
employees -- but are there for your benefit
just the same.

It’s no secret that physical fitness leads
to better health in a variety of ways,
including stress reduction and weight
control.

 

Friends from Douglas College came out to support the Life Quilt Breast Cancer Project
kickoff on October 29 at the Kitsilano Community Centre. From left: Paula Maisonville,
Janine Rousseau, Judy Reimer, Marie Bell, Gloria Kummerfield, Anna Jajic, Martha

Kellman.

across B.C. People can participate by
helping quilt the large panels or by
sending in bordering squares.

The Life Quilt Project invites women
and families to tell the story of their
encounters with the disease and is
conducting a needs assessment. Once
this research is complete, the project will
concentrate on helping people access

Did you know that the College’s
weight room (Room 1323) is free for use
by College employees? It contains free
weights, Universal machines, a step
machine, and stationary bicycles. It’s
open from 7:30am to 8pm; free weights
from 8:30am to 4pm.

If you’ re into aerobics or would like
to try it, check out the daily noontime
classes in Room 1315. The cost is $10
for 5, $17.50 for 10, $30 for 20, $3 drop-
in. See Dave Dalcanale in Room 1317
(local 5038). Classes run Monday to 1
Friday, 12:10 to 12:50pm.

If badminton is your game, or even if
it isn’t, a group of people have been
getting together in the gym Mondays and
Wednesdays at 4:30pm to play. There’s

4

existing services and providing help that is
not currently available.

“Right now we’re looking for financial
and personal help,” says Anna. “We have a
raffle underway for a weekend on Galiano
Island, and we can issue tax receipts to
anyone wishing to donate.”

Volunteers are needed. Call 527-5586. ff

no charge; just bring your racket and come
down for some fun and a great workout.

The men’s locker facility is adjacent to
the weight room, and the women’s is by
the lower floor entrance to the gym. Both
contain change areas and full shower -
facilities. Be sure to bring your own lock.

To help you get started on a fitness
program, there is a Fitness Incentive
Program for regular employees run by
Human Resource Development. It’s a way
for you to turn fitness activities into free
passes to the Canada Games Pool, or gift
certificates for athletic gear. Almost any
kind of fitness activity counts; all you have
to do is keep a log sheet. Call Dave
Neilsen at 5249 or Yvonne Mostert at
5386 for more information or to pick up a
log sheet.