Location
Topics
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Cancer Survivor
- Cancer Survivor
- Comedian/Comedienne
- Depression
- Emcee
- Gratitude
- Humor
- Inspiration
- Mental Health
- Moms
- Motivation
- Nurses Appreciation
- Therapeutic Humor
- Value of Humor
- Vision/Purpose
Event Types
Share
Praise
"Tracy was the featured speaker/comedian at our Annual Comedy Event in Birmingham, Michigan during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This event honored social workers, nurses, nurse navigators, patient navigators, office managers, and other key individuals who help our nonprofit, Shades of Pink Foundation, identify and assist breast cancer patients in need.
"Tracy tailored her remarks perfectly for our audience and we received very positive feedback from everyone in attendance. She is wonderful to work with - thoughtful, kind, professional, relatable, and inspiring. I highly recommend booking Tracy for your next event. You will not be disappointed!" — Nina Googasian, Executive Administrator, Shades of Pink Foundation
"Tracy DeGraaf was the ideal speaker for the Covenant HealthCare Cancer Prevention & Screening Event, an event for all cancer survivors and put on by the Covenant Cancer Care Center during cancer awareness month, the Fall of 2022. The event drew over 300 guests, this was one of our first events since the pandemic. We believe a large part of that success was due to Tracy's witty presentation.
"Throughout the evening, she connected on a personal level with guests. She made them laugh, cry, and even shake their heads in agreement at her quirks that people too have experienced in life. Even after the event. Covenant staff continue to receive rave reviews from those who attended. In addition, Tracy's flare for detail was top-notch.
"Tracy was a dream to work with and I would eagerly recommend choosing Tracy DeGraaf as a speaker for any event. You will be receiving many compliments from your management and walk away with a smile in your heart for bringing in such a high-class speaker for your organization." — Barbara A. Hoffman, Covenant Healthcare Marketing Specialist, Saginaw, MI
"We really enjoyed working with Tracy DeGraaf on our recent "Celebrating Life - a Breast Cancer Event" in October, 2022. Tracy was so accommodating from start to finish in planning logistics and her participation in the event. She even came into town early to have a special dinner with the women of the Watertown Breast Cancer Support Group, in addition to her keynote event the following day.
"The women loved her - her humor, how relatable she is while she's sharing her story, her vulnerability, and mostly her passion to connect with other women on their own breast cancer journey. Tracy radiates positive energy and love throughout the room which really resonated with our participants. So much so, she was overwhelmingly requested to come back for another event in the future. Book Tracy DeGraaf, you'll be so happy you did!" — Shannon Bleeker, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System Marketing Specialist, Watertown, SD
Hilarious Comedian, Breast Cancer Survivor
I keep hearing the same things about Tracy DeGraaf: she’s warm and real — like the friend you can tell anything to. One organization has already booked her twice, and from what I’m hearing, a third invitation may not be far behind. She’s even been known to roll up her sleeves and help with set-up before the audience walks in. As a breast cancer survivor herself, Tracy brings real urgency to her message about mammograms, and she’ll work with you to get a sign-up table in the room so women can act on it right then, mid-laugh. She’s also not shy about doing the ask at a fundraiser — she’ll help you turn laughter into donations. I recommend Tracy for breast cancer awareness events, women’s conferences, fundraisers, and nurses appreciation programs. She’s a joy to work with from the first call to the final bow.
About Tracy
Your audience will fall in love with comedian, breast cancer survivor, speaker and author Tracy DeGraaf! Pulling material from her experiences as a wife, mother of five sons and middle-aged woman, and now as a grandmother, she’s the perfect fit for Girls Night Out, Women’s Conferences, and Breast Cancer Awareness and Survivor Events.
Trained for comedy at The Second City in Chicago, Tracy travels nationwide performing stand up comedy and inspirational and motivational material. Since her cancer was detected on a routine mammogram, she is passionate about reminding women to stay current on cancer screenings and has done several events where many women have signed up for mammograms on the spot following her pitch. Tracy capitalizes on the touching true story of her dad’s reaction to her cancer diagnosis to remind women that they matter and that’s why they need to be proactive about their health.
Tracy crushes the excuses most women give for why they won’t get a mammogram:
- I don’t have time.
- It’s going to hurt.
- I don’t want to know.
She uses the powerful metaphor of a burning building to amplify the urgency of early detection. “Imagine you are asleep in your house tonight and a fire starts. It’s just a little fire, but it’s growing. At what point would you like to become aware that your home is on FIRE? When it’s a tiny fire that’s relatively easy to put out or when it’s an inferno and you and your family are fighting for your lives? That’s how it is with cancer. Early detection gives you the best chance for survival.”
Most Popular Topics:
Life Happens, Laugh Anyway
or
Cancer Happens, Laugh Anyway
(60-90 minute one-woman comedy show)
Tracy’s one woman show “Life Happens, Laugh Anyway” or “Cancer Happens Laugh Anyway” (same show different titles depending on audience) takes you through the seasons of a woman’s life from getting married and having kids to gaining weight and growing a beard. Her heartwarming and authentic style makes you forget your problems as you LOL at her relatable stories from everyday life.
Breast Cancer Community Outreach Events
Tracy is a popular entertainer for accredited hospitals and breast centers who are required to hold community outreach events in order to maintain their accreditation. Having nurse navigators and oncologists at these events along with a scheduling team who can register the audience for mammograms immediately has been incredibly effective. Tracy encourages every event organizer to set up a sign-up table right in the room — women head straight there, mid-laugh, to book their mammogram on the spot.
Celebrating Survivorship
Fundraising Events
Non-profit organizations hire Tracy because she can not only make them laugh, but also open their wallets. She is happy to come along side clients and pitch their cause in a fun and inspirational way — and she’s not shy about the “ask” either. Whether it’s a live appeal or a simple call to give, Tracy will help turn smiles into donations.
Comedy for Depression
Tracy is a depression survivor and that’s saying something. It’s tough! She can do two different types of presentations on depression…
1. Depression Happens Laugh Anyway (same 60-90 minute one-woman show explained above but with some specific jokes about her depression).
2. Finding Your Fire: How to Love the Life You’re In (a powerful 60 minute presentation about finding joy no matter the circumstances).
NEW Program for Nurse Appreciation:
Nursing Happens, Laugh Anyway
Tracy finishes the program with heartfelt appreciation for your nurses from the patient and patient family perspective.
Booking Information:
- Based in: Chicago area, Illinois (travels nationally)
- Fee range: On request
- Travel expenses: Coach airfare or mileage at current government rate, hotel accommodations (typically 1–2 nights depending on schedule), ground transportation, and meals.
- Format(s): Keynote / one-woman show (60–90 minutes), Emcee, Workshops, Fundraiser appeals, In person and Virtual
If Tracy sounds like the right fit for your breast cancer awareness event, women’s conference, fundraiser, or nurses appreciation program — or if you’d like to talk through whether she’s the right match — I’d love to hear from you. Reach out and let’s find the right fit together.
Check Tracy’s Availability: barbara@speakwellbeing.com | 503-699-5031, or fill out the “Request Speaker Info” form on this page.
Event Stories from Barbara’s Blog
