'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
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6978604.1721996942!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Paris Olympics begin with unique opening ceremony along the Seine
The Paris Summer Olympics officially get underway today with a unique opening ceremony. Instead of marching into a stadium, representatives from more than 200 competing countries will enter the Games on boats along the River Seine.
BREAKING Canada Soccer head investigating 'systemic ethical shortcoming' amid spying scandal
Canada Soccer chief executive officer Kevin Blue said he was investigating a potential 'systemic ethical shortcoming' within the program but has not considered pulling the women's soccer team from the Paris Olympics due to a drone spying scandal.
'She led it the whole way': 18-year-old B.C. woman leads hikers to safety in Jasper National Park
As fire threatened people in Jasper National Park, Colleen Knull sprung into action.
DEVELOPING Trudeau, with Australian and New Zealand PMs, pen letter renewing ceasefire calls for Gaza
Prime ministers of Canada, New Zealand and Australia released a letter renewing calls for an “urgent ceasefire” in Gaza on Friday morning.
Arson attacks paralyze French high-speed rail network hours before start of Olympics
Outgoing French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said that sabotage and arson that hit key parts of France's high speed rail network on the eve of the Olympics had 'a clear objective: blocking the high speed train network.'
Latest updates on wildfires in Jasper National Park: Rain, cooler weather limiting spread
Cool and wet weather is making a difference in Jasper National Park.
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Sunken treasure: Is the champagne nestled in a 19th-century shipwreck still fit for a toast?
A team of Polish divers has discovered the wreckage of an old sailing ship loaded “to the brim” with luxury goods including porcelain items and about 100 bottles of Champagne and mineral water about 58 meters (190 feet) deep off the Swedish coast.
opinion 'Deadpool and Wolverine' review: A love letter to a bygone era
'Deadpool and Wolverine' is a showcase for the bromance stylings of its stars, who pull out all the stops to cap Fox's Marvel movies.