Janet Cottrelle of Toronto, ON, who was involved in equestrian sport as a competitor for 30 years and remained a tireless volunteer and donor long afterwards, passed away on April 7, 2017.
Born in 1953, the daughter of avid horseman and thoroughbred owner J. Elliot Cottrelle was a top hunter rider on the circuit, bringing along a number of good mounts including Dr. Schpiegle, which was inducted into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame in 2007. Janet, who had been battling breast and ovarian cancer for over a decade, married Robert Collins in May 8, 2015.
A graduate of the University of Toronto-University of Trinity College, Janet became an in investment advisor at RBC Dominion Securities, a position she held for 22 years before her health necessitated she step down. She became a staunch patient advocate; she and her husband started the Janet Cottrelle Foundation to promote women’s health issues and launched an ovarian cancer pilot project at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto providing full genetic screening and biologic testing for new ovarian cancer patients. She also became a business development manager for Mindham Fine Jewellery in Toronto, with 100% of any proceeds generated by her efforts going to PMH.
In a speech Janet gave last year for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, she said she had heard that, “‘The reason there’s so little money raised for ovarian cancer in Canada is because nobody lives long enough to become an advocate.’ When I heard that, I determined I would be that advocate. For as long as I have breath. For as long as I have health. I am going to pound the drum on this one.”
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