I met many amazing women at a Pink Hope hereditary breast and ovarian cancer conference in June 2016 and one of them was Brione. She told me about her mum, Valerie, who died of breast cancer aged 48 (diagnosed at 40). Brione told me then that she would like a drawing of her mum and I promised her that I would do it. 

I was really moved by Brione’s story again on Mother’s Day, 2017, when she described the occasion in a short video clip for Pink Hope as “champagne and razor blades”: champagne for her children, razor blades for the memory of her mother. I think this perfectly sums up how so many “Pink Hopers” feel. 

We chose a photo that was special to Valerie taken in the mid-1980s to work from. I didn’t know Brione’s mum and so I asked for a list of her big loves to help me to make a connection. 

THE MEMORY OF VALERIE 

“She was kind, loving, supportive, humorous, friendly, with a spoonful of stubbornness. She loved crafty things like crocheting, knitting and sewing and sold her creations at craft markets. She won a beauty competition when she was pregnant. She was a West Coast Eagles supporter, loved playing bingo and the poker machines at the casino. She also loved the colour purple and eating liquorice.” 

I will never know if I’ve truly captured this lovely lady as Brione remembers her (that’s the tricky part) but I hope there’s something in this pencil portrait that can’t be found in a photo which will last forever. 

BRIONE’S TESTIMONIAL 

“I met the gorgeous Pascale Garlinge last year at a Pink Hope ambassador getaway and was amazed and impressed at her talent. I thought she was the perfect person to take on this task for me. Despite her own challenges over the last year, I am very grateful to this inspiring strong lady for capturing something so important to me. Thankyou! Please check out her art!” 

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