Elizabeth Wilson, Calgary Breast Cancer Research Advocate, Dies at 39

A young mother who publicly shared her experience with terminal breast cancer on social media and called for government changes to research and screening has died.

Elizabeth Wilson, or Libby as she's known, spoke to CTV News for the first time in February 2020 after starting a petition calling for breast self-exams to be part of Alberta's education program.

She was 35 years old at the time and was undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

He did not know that he could be diagnosed at that age.

Over the next four years of treatment, Libby built a large following on social media where she shared her struggles and pain and raised funds for many cancer research organizations.

She died in hospital on August 31 at the age of 39, leaving behind her husband and four-year-old daughter Violet.

“She was incredibly kind. She wanted to help people. She went out of her way,” said Jerith Wilson, Libby's husband.

“He wanted to show the real side of the disease and how it affects people, and people flocked to it. (They) realized it's not okay to talk about the struggle you had with it.”

“I remember we'd go to these procedures and he'd go, 'I need a video of this.' “I don't think the doctors and nurses understood why she wanted to do this, but she wanted to show the reality of living with the disease,” said Kimberly Porter, Libby's sister.

In lieu of flowers, Libby's family requests that donations be made in her honor to various causes, such as the treatment and support of metastatic breast cancer.

“I think he wants the future to be better for people who come after him and face this disease. I think he wants a cure. I know he spent a lot of his life raising funds,” Porter said. .

“He was incredibly kind. He wanted to help people. He went out of his way.” (supplied)

Both Porter and Wilson say they were overwhelmed by the comments and messages from Libby's thousands of followers.

They hope his legacy and advocacy will live on.

Libby also enjoyed photography and volunteered at the Drop-In Center, helping clients with resumes and photos.