Ambassador Guide Welcome to Women to Women, a movement where we spread the word to our mothers, sisters, and friends that breast cancer screening saves lives! To help get you started, this Ambassador Training Guide will show you where you ll find all the tools you need to educate the women you know about breast screening, and to fundraise for breast cancer research. What can I do as a Women to Women Ambassador? We need to let all women know that their risk of breast cancer increases once they turn fifty. Women aged 50 69 who are at average risk should get a mammogram every two years. The Canadian Cancer Society s Women to Women movement mobilizes women to share this vital message with others. As a Women to Women Ambassador, you will: Act Lead by example. Make sure you get a mammogram every two years if you are aged 50-69. If you aren t yet 50, plan ahead and to talk to your doctor when the time comes. Share Tell the women in your life to learn more about mammograms and get checked themselves. The main group of women we are trying to reach are those 50-69 years old, since these women should get a mammogram every two years, but we also want to reach women before they hit 50 so they can plan ahead! For this reason, we suggest you focus your efforts on 45-69 year olds. You can do this in a number of ways: 1. Brief 3-minute conversations with 10 women Sharing involves educating 10 women in your life about breast screening through brief 3-minute face-to-face conversations. During the conversations you will use a clever educational tool called the Thingamaboob to illustrate how important mammograms are in detecting breast cancer early, when it s most treatable 2. Social sharing online Social sharing helps spread information about breast screening to an even greater network of people by moving the conversation online. By visiting our Ambassador Participant Centre, you can easily post messages to Facebook, Twitter, or send emails to your online social networks. Fundraise Encourage your family and friends to support your efforts and make a donation to support Canadian Cancer Society funded breast cancer research. 1
Getting Started Becoming a Women to Women Ambassador is easy, and by taking action, you could help save a life. All the tools you need can be found in the Ambassador Participant Centre. Follow these 4 simple steps to start educating your friends and family about mammograms. Step 1: Set up a personal profile To set up a personal profile, click on the Edit Personal Page tab in the Participant Centre. Here you will be able to upload a personal photo to help people recognize you, and share your personal story to create a deeper connection with the people you are reaching out to. Once you have set up your personal page, you ll be ready to spread the word about the Women to Women movement. Step 2: Get trained View the Ambassador Orientation presentation in the Ambassador Participant Centre or read through this Ambassador Guide thoroughly. You ll learn everything you need to know about becoming a Women to Women Ambassador. Step 3: Keep Track and Motivate Once you ve started educating the women you know, don t forget to tell us about the good work you ve been doing. On a weekly basis, track the number of breast cancer screening conversations you ve completed using the handy online tracking tool in the Ambassador Participant Centre. Your numbers will get added to the total number of women reached on the main page of the website! Step 4: Recruit other Ambassadors Many hands make light work, so encourage other women in your life to join the movement and register for the program too. Women of all ages are encouraged to participate. The more Ambassadors we recruit, the more women we reach with the vital message that mammograms save lives. Where do I go for help? If you have questions about cancer, including prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, or support, contact our Cancer Information Service at 1-888-939-3333. If you have questions about the Women to Women movement that are not answered after reading this Ambassador Training Guide, or you need help along the way, please send an email to womentowomen@ontario.cancer.ca. 2
Face-to-face Education As a Women to Women Ambassador, you play a key role in providing health education in your community to motivate others to take action and get screened. You can do this through brief, 3-minute face-to-face conversations with women aged 45-69 using the Thingamaboob to guide the conversation. The Thingamaboob makes educating easy by illustrating the importance of regular mammograms in detecting breast cancer early when it is most treatable. After you are finished each conversation, give the person you have educated the Thingamaboob as a reminder about the importance of regular breast screening. After registering as an Ambassador (unless you are a volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society), you will receive 11 Thingamaboobs 10 for the women you educate, and one for yourself so you can continue to educate others. As an Ambassador, it s important for you to become familiar with the breast screening recommendations in Ontario. Please refer to the table below. You may also have an opportunity to share information about the Canadian Cancer Society programs and services in your role. Become familiar with these by reviewing the information on page 8 of this guide. Breast Screening Recommendations in Ontario Women of all ages should be aware of how their breasts normally look and feel, and report any unusual changes to their doctor. Women between the ages of 40 and 49 should talk to their doctor about their risk of breast cancer, along with the benefits and risks of mammography. Women between the ages of 50 and 69 should have a mammogram every 2 years. Women 70 years of age or older should talk to their doctor about a screening program that is appropriate for them. Women 30 69 who are at high risk due to genetic factors or a personal or family history suggestive of hereditary breast cancer should speak to their doctor about a personal plan of testing. How to book a mammogram Getting a mammogram is the most reliable method of finding breast cancer at an early stage, when it s most treatable. Yet, the truth remains, a third of eligible women still do not get screened. You can book a mammogram in one of two ways. Speak to your doctor to get a referral for a mammogram, or, book your mammogram once you turn 50 by calling the Ontario Breast Screening Program directly at 1-800-668-9304. Women who are at higher risk of developing breast cancer due to genetic factors or a personal or family history suggestive of hereditary breast cancer can receive an annual breast screening MRI and mammogram through the Ontario Breast Screening Program starting at age 30. Women in this group will need a referral from their doctor or nurse practitioner to book these screening services. For more information about breast cancer screening, please visit cancer.ca or call the Canadian Cancer Society s Cancer Information Service toll-free at 1 888 939-3333. 3
What should I say when educating? When educating, remember to be yourself and convey your message in a way that feels natural to you. To help you stay focused, we have broken down the conversation into 4 parts: Ask, Assess, Advise, Assist. Introduction Tell them you are a Women to Women Ambassador and find out if they are willing to be educated. You may know I m a Women to Women Ambassador, which means I m helping the Canadian Cancer Society spread the word that mammograms save lives. Can we have a brief chat about breast cancer and how to catch it early? Ask Here s some sample questions you could ask, depending on who you are talking to. Do you know that getting checked for breast cancer could save your life? Do you get checked regularly for breast cancer? Assess Find out what they know about breast cancer screening. Do you know how to get checked for breast cancer? Advise This is your opportunity to educate and let them know what they should be doing. Screening means getting checked when you re feeling great and healthy and have no symptoms. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends that women aged 50-69 get mammograms every two years in order to catch cancer early. Show them the Thingamaboob and explain what the different sized beads mean. The Thingamaboob shows how important regular mammograms are in detecting breast cancer early when it is most treatable. The largest bead, about the size of a cherry tomato, shows the average size lump found by checking your breasts The second largest bead, about the size of a grape, shows the average size lump found by a physical exam by a healthcare professional The third largest bead, about the size of a pea, shows the average size lump found by a first mammogram The smallest bead, about the size of an apple seed, shows the average size lump found by regular mammograms Assist Tell them how to book an appointment for a mammogram. You can book an appointment through your doctor or by calling the Ontario Breast Screening Program directly at 1-800-668-9304. Show them where this information can be found on the Thingamaboob hangtag. Closing Thank them for taking time to chat and remind them to get checked. Give them the Thingamaboob as a reminder and encourage them to go to cancer.ca/womentowomen to donate to breast cancer research or sign up to be an Ambassador. To watch a sample conversation in action, log in to the Ambassador Participant Centre to view the Face-to-Face Conversation Demo video. 4
Tips for success Practice having face-to-face conversations with a close friend you trust or in front of a mirror. The more conversations you have, the easier and more natural they will become. Become familiar with the breast screening information on our website and in this guide. It s okay not to have all the answers! If you get a question you don t know how to answer, let people know where they can access the information. Refer them to our website, www.cancer.ca, or to our Cancer Information Service at 1-888-939-3333. Or, if you prefer, you can let the person know you will research the information on their behalf and get back to them later. Tracking your conversations Once you ve started educating don t forget to tell us about the good work you ve been doing. On a weekly basis, track the number of breast cancer screening conversations you ve completed using the handy online tracking tool. This helps to demonstrate the impact Women to Women is having, and helps motivate other Ambassadors to do the same. 5
Social sharing As part of being an Ambassador, spread the message and grow the movement by sharing with your network of friends online (either through Facebook, Twitter or email). That way, more women we care about will get the message that mammograms save lives. To make things easy, we have developed customizable emails, Facebook and Twitter posts that you can use to educate online. These are only suggested templates, and you are encouraged to personalize the messages. Please note that if you are using an older browser, you may be prompted to upgrade your browser to a newer version. This free to do. Email your friends and family It s easy to spread the word by email. When composing an email, select the template you want to use, or write one yourself. Remember to add your name to the signature at the bottom of the message to personalize your email. 6
Share with friends on Facebook By visiting the Ambassador Participant Centre, you can easily post already prepared messages to Facebook. Update your profile picture or Facebook cover image (the large banner image at the top of your Facebook profile page) to let your friends know you are a Women to Women Ambassador. Start social sharing today! Share with your Twitter followers If you use Twitter, visit the Ambassador Participant Centre and share one of our prepared tweets to tell your followers that you are a Women to Women Ambassador. 7
Fundraising Tips Survival rates for breast cancer have increased by almost 42% since 1986. This is due to improved screening and treatment. As an Ambassador, you are helping to fight back against breast cancer through education. You also have the option to raise funds online to support breast cancer research. Raising funds for the cause is a really important way to make a difference in the fight against cancer. Visit cancer.ca/womentowomen to learn more about how Canadian Cancer Society funded breast cancer research makes a difference in the fight against breast cancer so you can better answer any questions your friends might have. How can I encourage others to pledge me? You can use your conversations as an Ambassador as an opportunity to ask friends and family to donate to you and the cause online. Also, we have provided you with useful emails, Facebook and Twitter posts that you can use to encourage your contacts to make a donation to support breast cancer research. These online tools are accessible through the Ambassador Participant Centre. Looking for fundraising ideas? Here are a few ideas to help get you started with your fundraising efforts. If you have already started and want to see how well you are doing, you can view your fundraising progress in the Ambassador Participant Centre. Ask your friends and family to pledge you! When educating, ask the women in your life to support you and the cause by making a donation. You won t get a yes unless you ask the question. It can be intimidating, but the more you ask, the easier it gets. Share your story! People give to people they can relate to. Share why you have chosen to be an Ambassador, how your life has been touched by cancer, and/or let people know why the fight is so important to you. You can do this by telling your story in your Women to Women Ambassador profile. Do you have a hobby or talent that could boost your fundraising? Maybe you bake, teach yoga, sew, cook, sing, dance. Whatever it might be, if you want to boost your fundraising efforts, offer an evening of entertainment or lesson to your friends, family and/or colleagues in exchange for a donation and to educate other women about breast cancer screening. More suggestions on how to increase your donations: Contribute $20 yourself, then ask four friends, co-workers or relatives to contribute $20 (or ask 15 people for $10 each). You will be amazed at how quickly it adds up. Ask your employer to match any money you raise. Raise money in honour of a friend or co-worker who survived cancer. Who can you ask for donations? Everybody!! Ask your accountant, banker, pharmacist, dentist, doctor, lawyer, personal trainer, hairstylist, florist, the owner of your favourite restaurant and so on. Make a list of potential donors and how much money you think they can give. It's best to be specific about how much you would like as a donation. Be enthusiastic when asking for money. Let potential donors know where the money goes. If you have asked a number of people, keep track and follow up. People tend to be busy and forget unless they re reminded. Thank your donors (we ve created an email template you can use)! There are many tools in the Participant Centre you can use to make the most of your fundraising efforts! You can: Check your fundraising progress. Upload your contacts from your email address book. Send emails, Facebook and Twitter posts to everyone you know. Set up a personal URL to make it easier for your friends to find your page. Pledge yourself. What if I don t want to fundraise? If becoming a personal fundraiser is not for you, you may want to tell friends and family about other Canadian Cancer Society fundraising programs like Relay For Life, or, encourage others to be a leader like you and join the movement by becoming an Ambassador too! There are many ways to participate, from educating friends and family about breast cancer screening through face-to-face conversation and online sharing, to raising funds for breast cancer research. 8
Frequently Asked Questions Is there an age restriction on who I educate? The main group we are trying to reach with the Women to Women movement are those 50-69 years of age, since these women should get a mammogram every two years, but we also want to reach women before they hit 50! For this reason we suggest you focus your efforts on those who are 45-69 years old. Women aged 50-69 can book a mammogram by getting a referral from their health care provider or by calling the Ontario Breast Screening Program directly at 1-800- 668-9304 to make an appointment. What if I want to educate more than 10 women? We encourage you to educate as many women as possible. We want to reach every woman in Ontario who is eligible to be screened. But we only have a limited number of Thingamaboobs to share, so when you register you will be sent 11 Thingamaboobs. Use 10 to share during your first ten face-to-face conversations and keep one for yourself so you can keep educating! By continuing to take action, you could help save a life. What if I m not on Facebook or Twitter? If you aren t on Facebook or Twitter you can educate your wider social network by email. We have made it easy for you by providing templates of emails that you can customize and personalize, which can be accessed by visiting the Ambassador Participant Centre. How can I order more Thingamaboobs? We only have a limited number of Thingamaboobs to share. For now, we are asking Ambassadors to educate 10 women, but the program may expand in the future. The Canadian Cancer Society will contact Ambassadors if more Thingamaboobs become available or for other ways you may wish to get involved. What if someone offers to buy the Thingamaboob? The Thingamaboob is an educational tool used to demonstrate the importance of regular breast cancer screening. We only have a limited number of Thingamaboobs, and they are not for sale. If someone offers you money in exchange for the Thingamaboob, you can encourage them to make a donation online to the Women to Women movement by visiting cancer.ca/womentowomen. If they would like Thingamaboobs to share with the women in their lives, you can encourage them to become an Ambassador themselves by registering at cancer.ca/womentowomen. What happens once I ve fulfilled my commitment? We encourage you to educate as many women as possible because we want to reach every woman in Ontario who is eligible to be screened. If you ve educated 10 women through face-to-face conversations, and have spread the word to your online network, please keep educating using your personal Thingamaboob. By continuing to take action, you could help save a life. You could also help the Women to Women movement by fundraising for breast cancer research. What if I don t want to fundraise? While fundraising helps to raise money to support important breast cancer research, we realize that not everyone will want to fundraise. If becoming a personal fundraiser is not for you, you may want to tell friends and family about other Canadian Cancer Society fundraising programs like Relay For Life. Or, encourage others to be a leader like you and join the movement by becoming an Ambassador too! What if I have other questions? If you have questions about cancer, including prevention, screening, diagnosis, or treatment, contact the Canadian Cancer Society s Cancer Information Service at 1-888-939-3333. If you have questions about the Women to Women movement not addressed here, please send an email to womentowomen@ontario.cancer.ca. 9
About the Canadian Cancer Society As Canada s leading cancer charity, the Canadian Cancer Society fights more than 200 different types of cancers on numerous fronts, including offering information and support services that are proven to decrease stress and anxiety in people living with cancer as well as their caregivers. As a Women to Women ambassador, you may have the opportunity to share information about these services with someone you know. Our Cancer Information Service provides reliable and up-to-date information on all types of cancer, diagnostic tests, treatments, side effects, and clinical trials. Teams of highly trained cancer information specialists answer questions and are there to listen. This service is also made available in over 100 different languages, toll-free at 1-888-939-3333 or by email at cis@ontario.cancer.ca. Cancer.ca is the Society s website that offers credible information that is easy-to-read. The website features lots of indepth information and a Community Services Locator that can help people find cancer-related services in their community. Our Peer Support Service connects patients and caregivers with trained volunteers who have had a similar cancer experience. Volunteers listen, offer encouragement, and share ideas for coping all from their unique perspective as someone who s been there. The service is easy to access by calling 1-888-939-3333 or by email, cis@ontario.cancer.ca. CancerConnection.ca is our online community, available 24/7, where cancer patients and survivors, their families and friends can share their experiences and build supportive relationships in their cancer journey. The volunteer-provided transportation program helps patients get to and from their cancer-related treatment appointments when they have no other way of getting there on their own. All of our transportation services are coordinated locally. To find out what s available in your area, contact your local Canadian Cancer Society office, contact an information specialist toll-free at 1-888-939-3333 or email us at cis@ontario.cancer.ca. Our Smokers Helpline offers proven tips and tools to help people quit successfully. This service offers personalized and non-judgmental support, advice, and information over the phone, online, and via text messaging. To access Smokers Helpline, call 1-877-513-5333 or visit www.smokershelpline.ca. 10