Living Life Over Cancer
Betty Jean Aucoin
Keynote Speaker & Educator
Inspiring Hope. Building Resilience. Living Fully.
With 31 years in education, including 13 years leading professional learning and delivering more than 100 workshops, keynotes, and presentations annually in most years, Betty Jean Aucoin brings extensive speaking experience and a deeply personal perspective to the stage.
As the author of RISE: Living Life Over Cancer and a woman living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, Betty Jean shares an authentic message of hope, courage, self-advocacy, and finding purpose while navigating life's uncertainties.
Through engaging keynotes, workshops, and community conversations, she inspires audiences to embrace meaningful daily practices, discover their inner resilience, and continue living fully.
Her presentations connect personal storytelling with practical tools drawn from education, mindfulness, wellness, and the Five Cornerstones of RISE.
Signature Keynotes & Presentations
RISE: Living Life Over Cancer
Finding Hope, Purpose, and Joy While Living with Uncertainty
Drawing on her lived experience with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, Betty Jean explores how hope, mindfulness, self-advocacy, and meaningful daily practices can help us embrace life while navigating uncertainty. Through personal storytelling and the Five Cornerstones of RISE, audiences are encouraged to discover resilience, nurture well-being, and find joy in everyday moments.
Ideal audiences: Cancer patients, survivors, thrivers, caregivers, hospice and palliative care communities, and wellness conferences.
Every Step Matters
Finding Courage, Resilience, and Hope One Step at a Time
Inspired by Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope and her own journey living with metastatic breast cancer, Betty Jean shares a powerful message about courage, perseverance, and the importance of taking one step forward, even when the path ahead is uncertain.
Drawing on her experience as an educator, she encourages audiences to recognize the difference their individual actions can make and how compassion, community, and hope help us move forward together.
Ideal audiences: Students, educators, schools, community organizations, and inspirational gatherings.
The Power of Self-Care
Mindfulness, Movement, and Meaningful Daily Practices
Drawing on more than three decades in education, her experience as a yoga and mindfulness instructor, and her personal journey living with metastatic breast cancer, Betty Jean explores the importance of making self-care an intentional part of everyday life.
Through practical strategies rooted in the Five Cornerstones of RISE, she encourages audiences to nurture their physical, emotional, and mental well-being, embrace small, sustainable changes, and recognize that self-care isn't a luxury but an essential foundation for living fully.
Ideal audiences: Wellness conferences, educators, caregivers, cancer support communities, workplaces, and community organizations.
MOVE: The Power of Movement
Regulating Our Nervous System, Restoring Balance, and Reconnecting with Ourselves
Movement is more than physical exercise. It is a powerful tool for regulating our nervous system, releasing stress, and restoring emotional balance. During periods of anxiety, uncertainty, or overwhelm, mindful movement can help us shift from fight, flight, or freeze toward greater calm, clarity, and connection.
Drawing on neuroscience, mindfulness, and lived experience, Betty Jean explores how simple, intentional movement can support emotional resilience, strengthen social connections, and help us return to the present moment.
Through engaging discussion and accessible movement experiences, participants discover practical strategies they can use in everyday life, at home, in the workplace, and during challenging transitions.
Ideal audiences: Wellness conferences, educators, caregivers, cancer support communities, workplaces, and community organizations.
Speaking & Community Events
Every Step Matters
A Terry Fox Message of Hope
In this presentation at Bluenose Academy, I reflect on Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope and the lessons his journey still teaches us about courage, resilience, community, and moving forward through uncertainty.
Drawing on Terry’s example and my own experience living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, I share a simple message for students and for all of us: One foot in front of the other.
Every step matters.
As an educator, I always love standing alongside students in support of the Terry Fox Run and its message of hope.
Students at Bluenose Academy raised over $1,000 for cancer research. Living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, I deeply value the efforts of everyone who helps support research and hope for better treatments.
Congratulations to the staff and students of Bluenose Academy!
Thank you to everyone who supported our Yoga for the Cure. We raised $1123.50 for CIBC's Run for the Cure!
October Breast Cancer Awareness Month
The Listening Room
Sharing Stories that Matter
Presented by Harbour House & ALCHEMIA Art Workshop
I had the honour of sharing my story at The Listening Room, an evening dedicated to creating a safe space for women to share their lived experiences. Gatherings like this highlight the power of storytelling, community, and the courage it takes to speak openly about life’s challenges and triumphs.
Featured Media Conversations
Interview with The Patient Story
I was honoured to share my story with The Patient Story, speaking about living with metastatic breast cancer, self-advocacy, resilience, hope, and what it means to continue rising while living beside uncertainty.
CBC Interview with Carolyn Ray
CBC Radio – Mainstreet
Betty Jean Aucoin spoke with CBC videojournalist Carolyn Ray about storytelling, community, and her participation in The Listening Room. The conversation offered space to reflect on resilience, healing, and the importance of supporting one another through life’s challenges.
2026 Events, Book Signings, and Community Events
A look at the communities, conversations, and connections that are making this year meaningful.
The Launch
The launch of RISE: Living Life Over Cancer marked the beginning of a meaningful journey of sharing hope, resilience, and intentional living. Surrounded by family, friends, and supporters, Betty Jean celebrated the power of storytelling and community. Since its publication, RISE has continued to inspire conversations about courage, self-care, and living fully through uncertainty.
From Shelburne to Liverpool, Truro, and beyond, Betty Jean has connected with readers through heartfelt conversations at libraries across Nova Scotia. These gatherings create opportunities to share personal stories, reflect on resilience, and explore the importance of hope and community. Each visit reinforces the powerful role libraries play in bringing people together through storytelling.
Bookstores and Fairs
Through book fairs, wellness events, and community gatherings, Betty Jean shares the message of RISE: Living Life Over Cancer with diverse audiences. These opportunities encourage meaningful conversations about mindfulness, self-care, resilience, and whole-person wellness. Each connection is another opportunity to inspire others to embrace hope, purpose, and intentional living.
Mindfulness & Yoga
As a yoga and mindfulness instructor, Betty Jean creates welcoming opportunities for participants to pause, breathe, move, and reconnect with themselves.
Her classes emphasize mindful movement, self-compassion, and practical wellness strategies that support the mind, body, heart, and spirit.
Get a glimpse of Betty Jean's teaching style in this Fall Yoga class.
Keynotes and Workshops
Betty Jean Aucoin delivered an inspiring presentation to the Retired Teachers Organization of Southwest Nova Scotia, exploring the importance of self-care, resilience, and intentional living.
Drawing on her background in education, mindfulness, and wellness, she shared practical strategies to help participants nurture their mind, body, heart, and spirit through life's changing seasons.
Individual Coaching
Drawing on her experience as an educator, wellness coach, and mindfulness instructor, Betty Jean supports individuals in exploring practical ways to nurture their well-being and live with greater intention.
Her approach emphasizes self-care, resilience, mindfulness, movement, and self-advocacy, encouraging individuals to recognize their strengths and make meaningful choices that align with their values.
Through the Five Cornerstones of RISE, she shares strategies to help people navigate change, embrace uncertainty, and find hope and purpose in everyday life.