Coun. Elizabeth Peloza has revealed she underwent surgery for breast cancer last month. As Ward 12 councillor and budget chair, Peloza is widely respected by her colleagues at city hall for her work ethic, compassion, and candor. So it isn’t surprising that she spoke bluntly about her recent diagnosis to CTV News on Friday. “Breast cancer. Didn’t see it coming. Haven’t been a smoker [and] used to run full marathons to raise money for charity. I was just doing a self-exam and thought I felt something,” she recalled. Peloza underwent breast cancer surgery in December, only days after chairing budget deliberations at city hall. She used the holiday period to recover at home but still made it out to a community skate that she sponsored in her ward. “Feeling really good. Surgery was last month. Healing is going exceptionally well for that,” she said. Subsequent test results have been clear, but she acknowledges there is still a journey ahead. “There’s going to be a treatment plan involving radiation for sure. If chemo is on the table, I don’t know. I’ll wait for the doctors to give me that information and I will follow it,” Peloza explained. She is the chair of three council committees, and sits on several external agencies, boards, and commissions including Tourism London. The mother of three has represented Ward 12 since 2018 and still intends to seek re-election later this year. “We might just see a little difference in door to door canvasing, maybe a few more ice cream socials where residents on the street come to me, or a neighbour can host me rather than going to people at each door,” Peloza explained. She is grateful for her support team made up of family, friends, and neighbours, as well as the staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Wellspring Cancer Support. Peloza encourages others to use the news as a “personal reminder” for the importance of regular self-breast exams and scheduled mammograms with the Ontario Breast Screening Program “It’s so important that those people in your life go and get checked!” she urged. “And if you think there’s something wrong, don’t shy away from it.”
