As a hard-working career woman and mother of two, the idea of winning a beauty pageant was never on Jane VermeulenB次元官网网址檚 radar.
But that changed as the Esquimalt resident was crowned Mrs. Vancouver Island at the Miss, Mrs, and Miss Teen B.C. Pageant in Surrey earlier this month.
B次元官网网址淚 was excited, but quite exhausted,B次元官网网址� she laughed.
The pageant was a chance for Vermeulen to shine, something she felt she hadnB次元官网网址檛 been able to do for some time. For the last seven years, Vermeulen has focused on everyone but herself. She kept busy at the Hillside Veternary Hospital where she works as a veternarian, and she ran Vets for Pets, providing free veterinary care to the pets of homeless and low-income pet owners at Our Place Society.
But things werenB次元官网网址檛 going as well in her personal life. Vermeulen and her husband had been trying to have children for several years when they eventually came to terms with the inevitable B次元官网网址� that they would only be able to have children through fertility treatment. After months of appointments and six months of fertility treatments, she felt like little more than a collection of body parts.
B次元官网网址淲hen you go through fertility treatment, itB次元官网网址檚 all about the status of your ovaries and your uterus. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what itB次元官网网址檚 about, how many eggs are you producing or how thick is your uterus?B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淵ou will neglect the rest of your life when you go through fertility treatment because you have no control of your body or your schedule.B次元官网网址�
It was also during that time when VermeulenB次元官网网址檚 mother-in-law had a stroke. Vermeulen and her husband took turns visting her two to three times a week at a Victoria care facility. She passed away just before VermeulenB次元官网网址檚 second child, Nora, was born.
In the months following the birth of her daugther, Vermeulen realized she wanted to focus on herself again and in November found out about the Miss, Mrs, and Miss Teen B.C. Pageant on the Victoria B次元官网网址 website and decided to give it a try.
B次元官网网址淢y life had revolved around pregnancy, fertility treatment and my mother-in-law and then it was all done. I just wanted to do something for myself,B次元官网网址� said Vermeulen, adding the pageant is for all ages, with the youngest participant being 13 years old and the oldest in their 50s. B次元官网网址淚t was time for me to step outside of my comfort zone.B次元官网网址�
And she did just that, trading in her scrubs and runners for a dress and high heels, which she admits she had to relearn to walk in. She also got a manicure B次元官网网址� her first in 10 years.
After three long days of rehersals and workshops stretching from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Vermeulen was crowned Mrs. Vancouver Island. But the pageant was about more than a crown for Vermeulen, who hopes to use her title to increase awareness of fertility treatment.
B次元官网网址淚 always like talking about what itB次元官网网址檚 like to go through fertility treatments. A lot of women have heard about it but donB次元官网网址檛 know the process,B次元官网网址� she said, adding sheB次元官网网址檚 looking forward to supporting charitable organizations, such as the Terry Fox Run, through the pageant as well.
Vermeulen wasnB次元官网网址檛 the only one from the Island to bring home a crown. Sixteen-year-old Lambrick Park student and Saanich resident Olivia Dunseith was crowned Miss Teen Vancouver Island and Robyn Thomas was crowned Miss Vancouver Island.
