TORONTO – “Breast Friends Conquer All For Breast Cancer Awareness Month” is the title of the event scheduled for Monday 23 October, starting at 6.30 pm, at the Revival Bar & Event Venue at 783 College Street, downtown Toronto, to raise funds in favor of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation which carries out cancer research. 

The event – which will last until 10pm – will see the participation of speakers, musicians (with a surprise “special guest”) and the holding of an auction aimed at raising funds: all proceeds from the evening will go to Princess Margaret’s Breast Cancer Site Group which is Canada’s largest breast research and care centre.

The host of the evening will be Jeanne Beker (in the pic above), a multifaceted artist, writer and journalist who is well known and respected throughout Canada: she was born in Toronto to Holocaust survivors who instilled in her the importance of fearlessness, hard work, and tenacity from a young age and she began her professional show biz career at the age of 16. After studying acting in New York and mime in Paris, she moved to Newfoundland where she worked as an arts journalist for CBC radio. A few years later Beker found herself back in Toronto landing a job at CHUM radio and in 1979 she co-hosted the ground-breaking series The NewMusic. A founding member of MuchMusic, Jeanne continued to trailblaze when in 1985 she launched the legendary Fashion Television which was presented in over 130 countries for 27 years.

A seasoned newspaper columnist and features writer, Jeanne was editor-in-chief of FQ and SIR magazines from 2003 to 2008 and has authored five books. Her sixth, a memoir, is due for publication in November 2024. She is a frequent keynote speaker and guest on myriad lifestyle shows, as well as a regular featured columnist for several publications. She’s been at the creative helm of numerous fashion lines under her own eponymous label and since 2015, has been Style Editor for The Shopping Channel where she currently hosts the series Style Matters with Jeanne Beker.

Beker has received honorary doctorates from St. Mary’s University and OCAD University. Active with several charitable organizations, Jeanne has been named to the Order of Canada (2014), inducted into the American Marketing Association’s Hall of Legends (2015), recognized with the Banff World Media Festival’s Canadian Award of Distinction (2012), honoured with a Canadian Screen Achievement Award (2013), and received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame (2016).

These are the musicians who will perform during the evening:

Talia Schlanger

Talia Schlanger is a songwriter, musician and broadcaster whose intimate and explosive debut album “Grace for the Going” will be released in early 2024. Internationally known as the authentic, articulate and encyclopedic former host of the NPR-distributed radio show World Cafe, Talia has interviewed some of the most exciting musicians and artists working today. Currently she can be heard guest hosting CBC’s Here and Now and has regularly filled in on other CBC programming including q with Tom Power and Commotion. Talia began her professional performance career in theatre at age 14 and her various theatre credits as a singer/dancer include the original Canadian cast of Queen’s We Will Rock You and the first US tour of Green Day’s American Idiot. Her original music is a reflection of passionately eclectic taste, a reverence for the power of words and a deep love of connecting with people.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/taliahannahschlanger

 

Tara Macri