Written by: Lesley Brown, Executive Director, Applaud – People in Public Service
At Applaud, the health and wellness of our members have always been at the heart of what we do. We know that well-being extends far beyond the workplace—it touches every aspect of life. That’s why we host webinars, engage in meaningful conversations at Community Matters events and actively seek Reward partners and presenters that help support our members’ overall well-being.
Recently, the issue of health and wellness became deeply personal to the staff and Board of Directors of Applaud, as one of our team members, Stephany Morales, our Senior Marketing and Communications Manager, was diagnosed with a BRCA1 gene mutation, which significantly increases her risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Facing a 70% risk of developing breast cancer and a 40% risk of developing ovarian cancer, this courageous 30-year-old woman has decided to, in her own words, “take control of my future and fight BRCA1” by undergoing a double mastectomy and a partial hysterectomy next year.
One of the core values of Applaud is to ‘cultivate community’, fostering connections through shared interests and experiences. Recognizing that going through cancer treatment affects the person both physically and mentally, the Board and Staff team are standing by her, offering support and comfort as she navigates this difficult terrain. Internally, we’re not just cheering her on—we’re actively contributing to her fundraising efforts and walking with her at the Run for the Cure in October. We are constantly listening, figuring out what she needs, and ensuring that we stand as a united, supportive community for her.
Stephany has bravely made the decision to share her journey with our membership through regular blog posts, so that we can learn as she learns every step of the way. We created a new discussion forum in The Applaud Community, where our members can impart information they’ve learned, share their experiences, or find support within the community. We encourage our members to disclose their own stories, recognizing how these shared experiences foster solidarity and create a caring, connected community. We will be reaching out to Cancer Care Ontario to inform us on how their organization works, news of diagnoses and other treatment options currently available. We will start this conversation with breast cancer, but we recognize there are many cancers out there that we can talk about.
Our Board Chair, Paul Byron, will be contributing an article in the coming weeks talking about how the association practices a human-centric employee culture. This practice recognizes that we bring our whole selves to the workplace and are supportive of each other, particularly when experiencing hardship, personal struggles or health related issues. As an organization whose key purpose is ‘recognition’, our definition of recognition extends beyond achievements to recognizing and supporting the whole person. There is no greater demonstration of a great workplace culture than when employees get to witness, or experience being supported in both good times and difficult times.
We applaud Stephany for her courage and resilience as she tackles this difficult life changing experience and laud her openness to sharing something so personal in a public forum. We applaud our staff and board team as they stand shoulder to shoulder with each other supporting her on the difficult road ahead. We applaud our members for making this association a place where we can develop community, share personal and professional experiences and learn from each other. Together, we stand as a community, proving that no one must face these challenges alone. In unity, we find strength, and in sharing, we find hope.
At Applaud, the health and wellness of our members have always been at the heart of what we do. We know that well-being extends far beyond the workplace—it touches every aspect of life. That’s why we host webinars, engage in meaningful conversations at Community Matters events and actively seek Reward partners and presenters that help support our members’ overall well-being.
Recently, the issue of health and wellness became deeply personal to the staff and Board of Directors of Applaud, as one of our team members, Stephany Morales, our Senior Marketing and Communications Manager, was diagnosed with a BRCA1 gene mutation, which significantly increases her risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Facing a 70% risk of developing breast cancer and a 40% risk of developing ovarian cancer, this courageous 30-year-old woman has decided to, in her own words, “take control of my future and fight BRCA1” by undergoing a double mastectomy and a partial hysterectomy next year.
One of the core values of Applaud is to ‘cultivate community’, fostering connections through shared interests and experiences. Recognizing that going through cancer treatment affects the person both physically and mentally, the Board and Staff team are standing by her, offering support and comfort as she navigates this difficult terrain. Internally, we’re not just cheering her on—we’re actively contributing to her fundraising efforts and walking with her at the Run for the Cure in October. We are constantly listening, figuring out what she needs, and ensuring that we stand as a united, supportive community for her.
Stephany has bravely made the decision to share her journey with our membership through regular blog posts, so that we can learn as she learns every step of the way. We created a new discussion forum in The Applaud Community, where our members can impart information they’ve learned, share their experiences, or find support within the community. We encourage our members to disclose their own stories, recognizing how these shared experiences foster solidarity and create a caring, connected community. We will be reaching out to Cancer Care Ontario to inform us on how their organization works, news of diagnoses and other treatment options currently available. We will start this conversation with breast cancer, but we recognize there are many cancers out there that we can talk about.
Our Board Chair, Paul Byron, will be contributing an article in the coming weeks talking about how the association practices a human-centric employee culture. This practice recognizes that we bring our whole selves to the workplace and are supportive of each other, particularly when experiencing hardship, personal struggles or health related issues. As an organization whose key purpose is ‘recognition’, our definition of recognition extends beyond achievements to recognizing and supporting the whole person. There is no greater demonstration of a great workplace culture than when employees get to witness, or experience being supported in both good times and difficult times.
We applaud Stephany for her courage and resilience as she tackles this difficult life changing experience and laud her openness to sharing something so personal in a public forum. We applaud our staff and board team as they stand shoulder to shoulder with each other supporting her on the difficult road ahead. We applaud our members for making this association a place where we can develop community, share personal and professional experiences and learn from each other. Together, we stand as a community, proving that no one must face these challenges alone. In unity, we find strength, and in sharing, we find hope.