Snort laughing and silliness are the goals for the next phase of superstar rocker Bif Naked's life.
She'll tell the audience all about it as the special guest speaker during Paint It Pink, an Evening of Hope, a cancer fundraising gala at the Civic Centre this Friday night.
Naked visited Prince George five years ago for another cancer fundraiser.
"So I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again," said the breast cancer survivor who advocates for early detection and believes it is of the utmost importance for communities to have their own treatment facilities so those going through it can be supported by their loved ones. Ground had just broken on the local BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North when she was here in 2010 and the centre has served the region since November 1, 2012.
Surviving breast cancer has changed her life.
"It's the best thing that ever happened to me," she said, mentioning a yet untitled HarperCollins autobiography coming out in the spring. "I think that I'm more silly. I don't think I was silly enough before and as much as I always endeavoured to be open hearted and really affectionate and a flowery writer and all those things that were part of who I was, now I'm just sillier. I don't take things so seriously."
There was a lot going on during her cancer treatment. She was getting divorced and turning 40 and it all affected her.
"It was like a big kaboom and it made me realize I wanted to go through the rest of my life snort laughing. I think that's more important than any other perception that I have about the world, about myself, about other people and I just thought I needed to stay really silly because it's going to keep me positive."
During her presentation at the Paint It Pink gala she will share information not known to people who remain untouched by cancer.
"I'll talk about some of the hidden things like what people who have come through breast cancer treatment continue to go through. I am still on medication. I still have lots of side effects. There are so many little things that you don't realize are probably related to the treatments you've had."
She continues to volunteer at treatment centres in Vancouver where she lives and offers support to those currently going through treatment.
"Those girls are going through completely different protocols than I was on with some of the same cancers because they've made so many improvements in only a few years. It's amazing. Sometimes down here in Vancouver if a patient qualifies and chemotherapy doesn't agree with her, they get to change it for her. We always sit there and say really? Because when we were going through it we had to drink the gasoline because there wasn't any other option."
Times have changed and treatments are continuing to improve.
"Having breast cancer provided an amazing education for me in human spirit, not only my own but in other people. I don't shy away from anything."
Proceeds from Paint It Pink, an Evening of Hope, go to the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation. The evening will be a glamour-filled event hosted by The Prince George Citizen and includes a silent auction, live auction, giveaways including vacation packages, fine dining and dancing.
Tickets are $95 each or $850 for a table of 10. Tickets are on sale at The Citizen, 150 Brunswick St., or the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation office at the University Hospital of Northern B.C.
