Inspiration can spring from just about anywhere — even those potentially dark valleys in life where a gleam of optimism is unlikely to shine through. Charlotte Diamond is certainly living proof of that.
Diagnosed with breast cancer last October, the longtime children’s entertainer used the challenge of regaining her health to pen an inspiring poetic story that paralleled her experiences of enduring chemotherapy treatments.
The result was The Lion Who Lost His Mane, a piece Diamond is beginning to perform as she resumes her live shows, which includes a Dec. 8 date at Playhouse Theatre in Vancouver, and a return to the very familiar stage at Lansdowne Centre on Dec. 15 for her 17th Holiday Delight Concert.
“I love doing local shows and staying in touch with people in Richmond,” said Diamond, 68, who is known world-wide for her music, songs and inspirational messages of a love for life which resonates with wee toddlers right up to grandparents.
It was the same resplendent approach Diamond maintained when a scheduled mammogram delivered the fateful news 14 months ago.
“I wasn’t expecting anything,” she said. “I hadn’t detected a lump. It was just my normal check up, and they found it. And I am so glad they did.”
Faced with the cold, hard facts from her doctor that she would require surgery and chemotherapy, Diamond decided to take a stand.
“I said to myself I am going to fight it. I’m going to be as strong as I can, and do everything I can,” she said. “So, I became very dedicated to finding out everything I could do to fight cancer and help deal with the treatments so they would not bother me as much.”
About a month after being diagnosed, Diamond had a lumpectomy. But in her own indomnitable way, she had tweaked the surgery schedule for a week’s delay to make sure she was able to perform at Lansdowne Centre the week before undergoing the knife.
Then, about a month after the operation, she was again back on stage.
“You know what it is? It comes from not wanting to disappoint your public and families you know were looking forward to that show,” she said. “And maybe it’s a trade off, because I feed from that. I am nourished by working with the public, having them sing and seeing them dance, watching parents hug their kids unconditionally.”
That was last December.
Heading in 2013, Diamond decided to finally slow down, canceled shows and focused her efforts on getting well again.
Then in late February, inspiration struck, just as she was entering her second round of chemotherapy. The Lion Who Lost His Mane was born.
“I wrote it on the day that they buzz-cut my hair, because it was starting to fall out,” Diamond said.
“Lion’s fur falls out, too. And he moans and groans about losing the source of his pride,” she added, starting to animatedly tell the story with a small stuffed lion toy. “But a variety of fellow animals make him see beyond that. Giraffe tells him, it’s not so bad. We can take boughs from the trees and cover the patches up. Hyena says he can find some feathers. The birds tell him they will build a nest to keep his head warm.”
But the crucial part comes when a pair of vultures reassure Lion, telling him they have been bald all their lives and Lion’s fur will eventually grow back.
“The beauty of the story is it can be a children’s tale, enjoyed by a family where maybe a father or mother is going through cancer,” Diamond said. “But the main the idea is that your friends are the main source of your pride. They are the connection that will keep you going; when you feel down you can reach out to them.”
That’s what Diamond did with her back up musician, Bob Wishinski who she had been friends with for 35 years.
She had encouraged him during his own cancer battle, one that was diagnosed prior to her own.
“I think both of us thought we had time in the bank, because right up the day before Bob passed away this April I was asking him if he was going to do the children’s festival with me,” Diamond said.
Heading into this Christmas holiday season and her scheduled shows, Diamond has a heightened sense of anticipation — almost a craving to be centre stage once again.
“It’s a celebration not only of the holiday season being with our families, but a celebration that my treatments are finished and now I can concentrate on getting better,” she said.
It was also time to tell her story of perseverance, something her family encouraged her to do only when the time was right.
“I took their advice. When I was ready, and everything was behind me, it would be time to speak out,” she said. “I wanted to do what I could to help out other people who were going through the same thing with their families. I wanted to help give them the courage.”
And the best way to accomplish that was to start performing once again.
“My music, my creativity, and my reaching out to parents, teaching them to have more fun with their kids — that has always been part of what I do,” she said. “I can still do that. And I want to do that. Today feels like a new chapter.”
