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Amy Smith | Cancer Rebel

@smittytherebel

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💛Joy belongs in the invisible, overlooked moments of cancer
✨Showing up in the hard and making it lighter
🇨🇦Creative Director, nonprofit

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What if you don’t want to go back?

But what if you don’t know where you want to go either?

Cancer shatters your life. And when treatment ends the world cheers while you’re standing in all the pieces of what you once had with no clue how to begin.

But what if you didn’t have to put it back together?

What if you could walk away from those broken pieces and build something even more beautiful?

Let’s start walking together and find out.💛
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📸 Some photos by the ever so talented @vickibartel.branding
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#cancerrebel #cancer #posttraumaticgrowth #breastcancer #rebuild by @smittytherebel

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6 months ago

Cancer destroyed my life. So I picked up the shovel and started digging for what was left.

I lost my entire identity. Not just my body, my femininity, but my life as I knew it. I no longer recognized my reflection, my thoughts, or my feelings. I felt like a stranger in my own life.

And that is where I found her.

In the devastation, I could finally hear my truest self. She defended me when I felt I had nothing and slowly showed me possibilities. Joy became my healing. And I learned there was something powerful waiting on the other side of one small brave yes.

I started saying yes to things that scared me, yes to things that made no logical sense, and yes to the things that simply lit me up.

That is where she came alive.

Those old pesky uninvited patterns still keep showing up. But I am consciously choosing to let her lead.

There is a freedom in being your most authentic self.

If you are feeling that pull or that nudge, I encourage you to listen. That just might be your truest self trying to tell you something.

And I have a feeling it’s really good. 💛
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#lifeaftercancer #cancerrebel #cancersurvivor #rebuildingmyself #posttraumaticgrowth by @smittytherebel

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6 months ago

My boy. 🥹

Braden ran the Terry Fox at his university and sent me this picture. It made me tear up in the middle of a school day.

Long after the visible parts of cancer are gone, there are side effects and an emotional weight that almost never leave. You learn to carry it, and eventually you learn to carry it well. It’s easy for everyone to assume it’s over, but it’s never fully over.

So my son carrying me with him on his run made me feel so loved and so seen. I love this kid. That’s a beautiful human right there. 💛

Thank you, B. xoxo by @smittytherebel

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22 days ago

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is take care of the person building it.

Thank you, @highvibe.women for exactly the day I needed.

What a beautiful community of women. The conversations, the generosity, the different perspectives, and the willingness to listen and offer honest feedback were such a gift. There’s something so powerful about saying things out loud and being surrounded by women who genuinely want to see each other succeed.

I left feeling lighter, clearer, and with the boost I was craving.
(Although the hydrating IV from @thevineiv may have had something to do with it. 😉)

Heart full. Coconut empty. 🥥💛 by @smittytherebel

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3 months ago

Happy Canada Day! 🇨🇦
So proud to be Canadian and to call this place home.

Friends, fireworks, and fun…the perfect reset.💛 by @smittytherebel

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4 months ago

A slower morning is a form of self-care.💛 by @smittytherebel

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4 months ago

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4 months ago

I remembered the flowers.
I remembered the 20 bags of lemons.
I remembered every piece of decor for my own home,
including my stems and huge faux tree.
I remembered the U-Haul truck to transport my huge faux tree.
I had a million more ideas and could’ve gone overboard,
but renting a moving truck for a fake tree was probably enough for a first event.

Yet despite all that room in the U-Haul, there was still something I forgot. 🙈My outfit.

It can’t believe I forgot it,
but my mind was entirely focused on the space.

Here’s why.
You feel a space before you even realize it.
Walk into somewhere elegant, and your posture changes.
Walk into somewhere playful and whimsical and you lighten up. Walk into somewhere warm and rustic, and you slow down.
A space has the power to change how you feel the moment you walk into it.

That is why I love designing and decorating so much.
I really wanted the women to walk into something that felt bright, cheery, and special. A space that was intentionally designed just for them. That’s one of my favorite things to create. And the best part is that you don’t need a U-Haul or 20 bags of lemons to do it. It can be as simple as a quiet corner, a favorite blanket, and a candle.

I fully believe everyone deserves a space that is just theirs.
A reading nook, a chair by a window, a corner that just makes you breathe differently. And moms of young children, if you say bathroom, we need to talk! 😉

Name yours below.
Let’s give it some love. 💛
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#cancerrebel #lifeaftercancer #designyourlife #rebuilding #cancersurvivor by @smittytherebel

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4 months ago

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4 months ago

Every woman at the event was talking about the venue, so TOAST deserves its moment.

Tucked inside Burlington Village Square, TOAST was already stunning before we added a single detail. The light, the decor, the privacy, and the size were perfect for what we needed. The backdrop is beautiful on its own, but also served as the most perfect base to layer our own theme onto.

I was intentional about wanting each woman to feel like the atmosphere was a treat, and this space made that effortless. Warm, comfortable, and elevated all at once, yet somehow it still felt like home.

Sierra, the owner, is just as fabulous as the space itself. So personable, accommodating, and incredible to work with from day one. You can tell she genuinely cares about every corner of that place. She made the entire rental experience seamless.

She was so supportive from the start and welcomed our community of women who have been impacted by cancer with open arms. We are so grateful for her generosity in making this event possible.

We will definitely be back. And I have a feeling many of the women from Saturday are already planning their own events here. We loved it!

Thank you, TOAST for being such a meaningful part of our first event. See you soon! 💛

@toast.eventspace
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#toasteventspace #burlingtonontario #hiddengem #smallbusinesslove #cancersupport by @smittytherebel

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4 months ago

We didn’t just plant something on Saturday. We decided to help it grow.

We took the thing that had been pulling at our hearts, spoke it into the world and gave it a place to live.

Because the messy middle is real and it can feel so uncertain. But we are choosing growth anyway. Together. With a little rebellious push forward.

Thank you to Cat McGuire, founder of WholeHearted, for facilitating our creative activities and bringing so much heart and attention to the room. She has a way of creating comfort and ease that you just feel the moment she walks in.

Thank you to @ororaskin for going so far out of her way to make sure every woman left with something just for her. What a treat!

Thank you to TOAST in Burlington Village Square for the most perfect space to start building something beautiful. It felt like home and this is just the beginning of what we plan to build there together.

This was just the first one.
Lots more to come.
Follow along! 💛

@toast.eventspace
@teamwholehearted
@ororaskin
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#cancerrebel #lifeaftercancer #rebuilding #womensupportingwomen #cancersurvivor by @smittytherebel

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4 months ago

Trust is a powerful thing.

Yesterday a group of women signed up for something without even knowing exactly what to expect. They just said yes. They showed up open, ready, and fully themselves and what happened in that room because of that trust is something I will always remember.

To every woman who took that leap with me, thank you.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

This community already has my whole heart. We are just getting started and I can’t wait for what comes next.

Follow along to be a part of what’s coming. 💛

@toast.eventspace
@teamwholehearted
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#cancerrebel #cancercommunity #lifeaftercancer #breastcancersupport #growthmindset by @smittytherebel

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5 months ago