Breast cancer survivor and Orléans resident Gina Mertikas-Lavictoire has once again teamed up with her mother Katerina Mertikas to produce their fifth calendar to help raise money for valuable clinical trial research at the Ottawa Hospital.
The previous calendars raised about $45,000 to help fund a clinical trial into a new treatment that will take half the time and cost half as much as a previous treatment.
Mertikas-Lavictoire was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. After undergoing a double mastectomy and months of chemo-therapy and radiation, the 39-year-old Orléans resident made a full recovery thanks to the efforts of the medical team at the Ottawa Hospital oncology department lead by Dr. Mark Clemons.
As determined as she was to beat her illness, she was equally determined to show her appreciation to her caregivers by giving back in some way. Her immediate thought was to team up with her mother to produce a calendar of her mother’s artwork.
Katerina Mertikas is a celebrated Ottawa artist known for painting colourful, expres-sionist scenes of childhood.
The first four calendars sold out in weeks. Gina and Katerina are hopeful that the 2023 calendar will sell out as well.
The calendars are still as popular as ever largely due to Katerina’s beautiful artwork and the worthy cause the calendars support.
“It’s been awesome,” says Gina. “People really love my mother’s artwork and they look forward now for the new calendar to come out.”
Katerina paints various scenes all year long with the idea that some of them will be ultimately used in the calendar.
The two women get together over a coffee or a glass of wine to go through everything and pick a scene to go with each month and season. As an added bonus, people have the opportunity to buy the original artwork of the paintings that appear in the calendar, the cost of which depends on the size of the paintings. A percentage of each painting sold will be added to the funds raised through the sale of the calendars.
The calendars cost $25 each and can be ordered by e-mailing Gina directly at gmertikas@gmail.com.
TRIVIA NIGHT every Tuesday night at the Royal Oak Pub Orléans from 7:30 p.m. Free to play and prize for the winning team! The Royal Oak is located at 1981 St. Joseph Blvd. near the corner of Jeanne d’Arc Blvd. For more information visit 
ORLEANS FARMERS MARKET every Thursday from 11 am to 4 pm in the parking lot at the Ray Friel Recreation Centre on Tenth Line Road. Shop the freshest seasonal produce, meat and dairy, baked goods, prepared foods, crafts and more while getting to know the folks who grew and made it.
THE STRAY DOG BREWING COMPANY presents Emma Houlahan and Tim Loten, together known as Bin Echo, live and in concert from 8 p.m. Tickets $10 in advance and 415 at the door. The Stray Dog Brewing Company is located at 501 Lacolle Way in the Taylor Creek Business Park.
CUMBERLAND FARMERS MARKET from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the R.J. Kennedy Arena in Cumberland Village with 85 local farmers and vendors ready to showcase their freshest produce, handmade goods, and unique finds! FREE ADMISSION.
