Suzanne Calton : Shanghai's openness helps my charity dream come true

"That was the coldest winter in 50 years in Shanghai when I and my husband first arrived in Shanghai, so I remember it clearly. I thought we were here for only 3 months,” Suzanne recalled the time when she came to Shanghai in 2008.” I was still waking up early and staying up late, so I could call America and talk to my friends and family."

However, she and her family have been deeply rooted in Shanghai after living in Shanghai for more than 10 years. They also adopted three girls in Shanghai. "I think it will be harder for me to return than to stay in Shanghai because the connection is so tight," smiled Suzanne. "It's like a door with a hinge and as a foreigner in Shanghai, the door opens wider and your efforts are amplified. In my home country, I felt my impact was very small, I couldn't make a big change. But in Shanghai, people are anxious for changes. They want to learn and they want to grow. So it is a beautiful partnership."

Suzanne told us that her mom died of breast cancer in 2011 and she thought if there had been a such a support group in her hometown, her mom would still be alive today. There are actually thousands of breast cancer organizations in the U.S. They all mostly focus on treatment and research and are more associated with medical industry. She found there was no organization that only focuses on lifestyle of prevention and recovery. That’s why she founded More Than Aware. She wanted to create a family of support and sisterhood for those diagnosed with breast cancers] and in recovery. Suzanne hopes to involve a broad participation of both healthy people and patients in recovery through advocating for a healthier lifestyle.

 "Shanghai is a fertile soil for dreams because in Shanghai your idea has the potential to become huge, and things move fast because it is a fast-paced environment. Moreover, the open-mindedness of people in Shanghai has also fueled the growth of the organization. In many cultures, people don’t want change. But here in Shanghai, people are welcoming and anxious for change.” According to Suzanne, now the team of More Than Aware has a committee comprised of members of 16 nationalities and half of them are local. Despite the diversity, the rapport between expats and locals has ensured the stability of the organization.

To Suzanne's gratification, while some expats might leave Shanghai, they also bring the concept of More Than Aware to their home countries, including India and some African countries. The roots of More Than Aware, however, will still be kept in Shanghai while its branches are spread to the rest of the world.