Samantha Ambridge-Yach
Thursday, February 12, 2009, at the young age of 37. We have lost a wonderful woman, wife, mother, sister and friend. In the last few weeks of her life, Samantha was surrounded by her husband, her mother and father, her two brothers, her good friends and family, until her final breath. Samantha was passionate in her devotion to breast cancer awareness and very active in supporting members of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, a site dedicated to women, men, friends and family who are dealing with breast cancer. Samantha will especially be remembered for helping countless women and their families in their battle with breast cancer. Samantha is survived by her husband, Joel Yach; son, Nathan Yach; mother Sandra Ambridge; father Edward Ambridge; brothers Donald of Vancouver and Scott Ambridge of Melbourne, Australia; nephews Miles Ambridge, Jonathan Daze-Yach, Kendal Yach, Luke Yach and Ava Yach; in-laws Barbara and Denzil Yach; sisters-in-law Anne Belanger-Ambridge, Wendy Daze-Yach; brothers-in-law Garth and Trevor Yach and grandmother Jean Desjardins. Samantha is also survived by many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Samantha will be remembered by her loved ones for her great love and compassion, her tenacity, her wit and intelligence, and her warm smile and faith. The family would also like to thank Dr. Stan Gertler, who gave Samantha the best of care and encouragement to keep on trying, Dr. Virginia Hurdon of Palliative Care, and Kathleen and Linda of Bayshore Health Care. Of additional comfort to Sam were her close and caring friends, who were always there for her. Her cousin Kim Statham-Bray, who was like sister she always wanted, was there for her throughout her five year struggle and also kept her spirits up. Throughout her illness, Samantha never lost her sense of humour and fought for needed changes in the health care system. In remembrance of Samantha’s fight, lobby your MPP for every Ontarian’s right of access to PET scans. Friends may pay respects at the Kelly Funeral Home, 580 Eagleson Road, Kanata, Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral Service Thursday in Parkdale United Church at 11 a.m. Interment Norway Bay United Cemetery, Norway Bay, Quebec in the spring. In lieu of flowers, it was Samantha’s wish to have contributions made to Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.