This most wonderful time of the year is ripe with Hallmark images of love stories, families gathered around trees and turkeys, people sharing their happiness.
It’s also a time for those with plenty to be thankful for to remember that’s not everyone’s reality.
Imagine being a 17-year-old woman without a job, without a loving family – or any family – without many of the other things most of us take for granted. A lonely and depressing Christmas on the horizon.
Now imagine suddenly (and unexpectedly) discovering you’re pregnant.
Not a Hallmark moment.
With nowhere to turn, being lonely and depressed can escalate into desperate, and even dangerous.
If that imaginary young woman lives in or around Cochrane, this is where The Cochrane Pregnancy Care Centre comes in, giving women a place to turn for 30 years now.
The poignant stories heard at their annual fundraiser gala last week elicited tears of all kinds – including those of joy.
It would be hard to think of an event where the occasional crying baby made a more appropriate background noise.
And it would also be hard to imagine a master of ceremonies taking her crowd on more of an emotional roller coaster ride than that provided by Jessica Jansen on this night.
In fact, of all the guests who’ve appeared at the RancheHouse, Jansen just might be the most joyful.
And that list includes Santa.
During the dessert auction Jansen took great joy in talking the winning bidder for one of the cakes up to $1,500. And she seemed to slow down the bidding on another to lengthen the time she had to gleefully pick raspberries off the top with one hand as she called for more money with the other.
All told, the cakes brought in $5,125 from generous donors.
As well as Cake Auctioneer, Jansen’s titles include Wife, Mama, Keynote Speaker, Author, Coach and Co-Founder of The Love for Lewiston Foundation.
Her son Lewiston lived for 179 days. He had spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a disease that deteriorates physical strength by affecting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord. This weakening continues to take away the ability to walk, eat, or breathe eventually.
Jansen had to pause to gather herself a few times in relating parts of her personal story, like coping with the news that her son had SMA and there was no cure.
“It’s so humbling – oh gosh, I have to ask for help,” she said.
One of the things she learned from asking for help was that people were so good.
“One of the most powerful things I have learned is the response is total,” she said.
She recalled the last months with her son.
“Those last four months were incredible – they were filled with love, with joy . . .”
She believes joy is possible even in the midst of chaos, uncertainty and even death.
Relating her personal experience to the spirit and purpose of the evening seamlessly, Jansen said she has taken what she learned from seeing people come forward to help her family and applied it to the rest of her life.
“I love being on this side, where I can help,” she said. “This is the opportunity we have to create lasting impact.”
Like the imaginary 17-year-old, Jansen has suffered from depression and felt alone in the darkness, but with help, she came through and now embraces the joy in everything.
Especially raspberries.
Jansen is the recipient of The 2021 Doc Seaman Generosity of Spirit Award, winner of The Best Documentary at the 2022 Okotoks Film Festival, and the recipient of the 2022 Muscular Dystrophy Canada, Dr. Katie Mander’s Courage to Inspire Award. She was also recently inducted into the 2022 Class of Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40.
The Love For Lewiston Foundation raises critical funds for the SMA Community and The Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. With the help of volunteers, donors, sponsors and partners, they have raised over $2 Million, changing the lives of families and individuals living with SMA.
The Cochrane Pregnancy Care Centre is a Christian non-profit, non-political, charitable organization providing compassionate care to women and families facing an unexpected pregnancy. The Centre exists to provide education, resources and support to those experiencing an unexpected pregnancy within Cochrane and the Bow Valley region.
Clients are served without regard to race, colour, religion, creed, national origin, age, ability, gender identity, sexual orientation, lifestyle, or other arbitrary circumstances.
The Centre offers a safe space to talk and work through pregnancy options or receive after-abortion care. They create a safe environment for clients to make a pregnancy decision that is fully informed, evidence-based, and free from external influence.
They use a counselling-based approach to meet women’s emotional and practical needs during and after an unexpected pregnancy – no matter what decision she makes.
For more information about how the care centre operates, or how to make a donation go to cochranepreg.com. In addition to much-needed cash donations, they also take things like baby formula, clothing, and other things.
The Centre is located at 100 Grande Boulevard, #208 in Cochrane.
