'She wanted to help people:' Calgary breast cancer research advocate, 39, dies after disease metastasized
A young mother who openly shared her experience with terminal breast cancer on social media and called for government changes in research and screening has died.
Elizabeth Wilson, or Libby, as she was known, first spoke with CTV News in February 2020, after starting a petition calling for self-breast exams to be part of Alberta's education curriculum.
She was 35 then and had just received treatment for breast cancer.
She hadn't known the diagnosis was possible at that age.
Over the course of treatments throughout the next four years, Libby amassed a large following on social media, where she explained her struggles and pains and fundraised for numerous cancer research organizations.
She died in hospital on Aug. 31 at age 39, leaving behind her husband and four-year-old daughter Violet.
"She was unbelievably kind. She wanted to help people. She went out of her way," said Jerit Wilson, Libby's husband.
"She wanted to show the real side of the disease and how it affects people and people flocked to that. (They) realized it's OK to talk about the struggles that you have with this."
"I remember we'd go to these procedures, and she'd go, 'I need a video of this.' I don't think the doctors or nurses understood why she wanted that but that's because she wanted to show the reality of what living with the disease was," said Kimberly Porter, Libby's sister.
Libby's family says in lieu of flowers, she wished for donations to be made in her honour to various causes, such as treatments and support for metastatic breast cancer.
"I think she would just want the future to be better for the people that come after her and have to face that disease. I think she would want there to be treatments. I know she spent a lot of her life fundraising," Porter said.
"She was unbelievably kind. She wanted to help people. She went out of her way." (Supplied)
Both Porter and Wilson say they are overwhelmed by the outpouring of comments and messages from Libby's thousands of followers.
They hope her legacy and advocacy will live on.
Libby also loved photography and volunteered at the Drop-In Centre, helping clients with resumes and headshots.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.