Management consultant Jenny Chen is fearless. How fearless is she? She’s so fearless that she proposed to her future husband before their first date. She’s so fearless that she will be performing stand-up comedy for charity later this month, proof that sometimes courage wins in love and in laughs.

Chen is one of five amateur comics set to bring their best material to Laugh for the Cure, set for Thursday, March 26 at The Westin. All funds raised will go toward The Ottawa Cancer Foundation’s community-based programs and services offered to cancer patients and their families.

In recent weeks, she has tested her material at open-mic nights, where the response has felt overwhelmingly positive. “I’m exactly as funny as I think I am,” joked Chen, CEO of Catalais Consulting.

By day, she works to reshape organizational systems that “make the world a better place,” a role she says demands the same kind of courage as stand-up.

Chen’s five-minute set doubles as a roast of her husband, Daniel MacMillan. “I am feeling very confident that I might have a Netflix comedy special in my future,” she further quipped.

The couple’s story is a friendship turned leap-of-faith romance.

On April 12, 2020, MacMillan learned he had Stage 4 small lymphocytic lymphoma, a treatable but incurable blood cancer. Doctors gave him anywhere from 18 months to 10 years to live.

His go-to support person became Chen, who was part of his COVID-19 pandemic “social bubble”. She drove him to and from his appointments at The Ottawa Hospital’s General Campus. When his oncologist delivered updates, MacMillan would record them so he and Chen could later listen together, when he wasn’t feeling as overwhelmed.

MacMillan underwent six months of chemotherapy. “Halfway through, I realized I loved this human being so much I couldn’t see my life without him,” said Chen.

She decided to pop the question in September 2020. “One of the reasons I proposed is because I did not trust anyone to give this angel on earth the best possible life.

“I’m a lot, but he said yes. I promised him that we would never have a dull moment. To this day, we live life exactly that way.”

Chen had already been fundraising for The Ottawa Cancer Foundation. During the pandemic, she distributed “Dan’s Army” t-shirts to friends and family to show their support from afar, encouraging them to donate to the cause.

Jenny Chen, CEO at Catalais Consulting, and Dan MacMillan, a wealth advisor with BMO Nesbitt Burns, in shirts Chen created for friends and family in support of The Ottawa Cancer Foundation during MacMillan’s cancer treatment, which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By December, MacMillan learned his cancer was in remission, filling both him and Chen with relief and hope. Chen offered him a “get-out-of-jail-free card” if he wanted to step back, telling him, “We made some big decisions while you were sick.” MacMillan responded with his own marriage proposal on Christmas Eve, complete with a beautiful diamond ring.

They wed in September 2021, surrounded by their combined four children, Thomas (now 30), Olivia (26), Trinity (18), and Savannah (12). They celebrated with a larger group of friends and family a year later at Fairouz Cafe, now Sussex & Co. Steakhouse, in the ByWard Market.

Jenny Chen and Dan MacMillan with their combined four children, Trinity, Savannah, Thomas and Olivia, during a family holiday.

Last November, the cancer foundation reached out to Chen, leading to a lunch with its director of special events and community engagement, Tricia Ross, and longtime volunteer and commercial realtor Matt Jacques. They wanted to recruit her for Laugh for the Cure.

Chen tried to play it cool. “It’s like when you walk into a car dealership and you’re trying to keep your poker face on. I wanted to say yes right away but I said, ‘I’ll think about it’. In reality, I said yes within 10 minutes. I told them I’d love to do it.

“Life is too short not to do things that scare us. If Dan can go through chemo, I can spend five minutes on stage, right?”

Ross praised Chen’s commitment. “We’re just so grateful that she’s involved and authentically connected to the work that we do. When something is meaningful, you bring your full self to it.”

She also noted that Chen understands the importance of creating moments of joy, even in a health crisis. “It’s about giving yourself permission to breathe in the middle of the hard parts, and she gets that.”

All the amateur comics, called “Joes,” are mentored by professionals, or “Pros.” Chen was coached by Simone Holder. The other “Joes” are Jim Carty, Nick Fundytus, Rick Hiladie and Gord St. Denis.

Jenny Chen surrounded by her fellow Laugh for the Cure amateur stand-up comics: Nick Fundytus (bottom left), Gord St. Denis (left top), Jim Carty (top right) and Rick Hiladie (bottom right) at the event launch held this past December. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Each “Joe” was asked to raise $10,000 in pledges. Chen has surpassed $21,000 and is now aiming for $30,000 (the fundraising record is held by chartered professional accountant Rolland Vaive, who raised roughly $40,000 last year).

Chen got a major fundraising boost when Jennifer Stewart, CEO and founder of Syntax Strategic, offered to match all donations up to $2,500. Chen offered to do the same. Together, they raised $5,000 in 24 hours, on top of the $2,500 in pledges that came in.

Chen also has nine tables’ worth of supporters who have bought individual tickets to the event. “At least I know I’ll be surrounded by my friends who will fake laugh if they have to make sure I’m not bombing,” she joked.

Local restaurants are supporting her by offering special dishes and drinks, donating proceeds to her campaign. During the pandemic, she and MacMillan made a point of eating out to help businesses and to reclaim a sense of normalcy during the cancer treatment.

“We built a huge community with all these small business owners,” said Chen, listing off Pat Nicastro (La Bottega Nicastro), Richard Valente (Fratelli), Tony Garcia (Sussex & Co.), Duong Huong (Good Neighbour), Dalina Malaythong and family (Authentic Vietnamese Pho House), Simon Huang (Dao Café and Ottawa Asian Fest) and Witek Wojaczek (Bar Ocelli). “They were just anchors that kept us grounded during the hardest journey of our lives.”

Chen thinks of small business owners as the city’s unsung heroes. “We don’t always see the people behind the scenes who are doing great work, lifting up and holding our community together, but they’ve always been there. These are the quiet leaders who continue building this city and keep it going. That’s what Ottawa is all about.”

Ultimately, said Chen, “I want to get to a place where people don’t die from cancer. Until then, I want a city where no one feels alone while fighting it, and that’s what The Ottawa Cancer Foundation is there for.”

Click on the Laugh for the Cure website for more details about the upcoming fundraiser and to make a pledge in support of its amateur  comics.

This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Syntax Strategic, RBC, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, Welch LLP, and Brazeau Seller Law.

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