Marc Pearsall
"Being able to volunteer at Wellspring has been the most precious gift ever given to me. The People who use Wellspring want to help themselves, and being able to assist them in that endeavour, in whatever way I can, is the most gratifying work I have ever done."
Marc Pearsall has literally been a part of Wellspring since before it began, when Wellspring was still just an idea in the mind of Anne Armstrong Gibson, Wellspring’s founder.
Marc and Anne met at Dr. Alastair Cunningham’s Cancer Coping Skills Program – the precursor to the Healing Journey Program. Anne and Marc kept up their friendship after the program ended. When she was ready to get Wellspring started, she asked Marc to be involved.
Marc was selling real estate at that time, and thought that Anne wanted him to find a location for Wellspring. In fact, she wanted Marc to come to talk with other cancer patients. Marc, who had not previously done any volunteer work but recognized Anne’s special plans, decided that he would “go for it”. Marc has the honour and distinction of being a founding member of Wellspring as well as the very first Peer Support Volunteer.
15 years later, Marc is still an active Peer Support Volunteer, sharing his understanding of cancer with new members who seek support at Wellspring. For years, he has also played a key role as co-facilitator of the Lymphoma Support Group which is held at Wellspring Sunnybrook.
Marc has also been a member of the Board of Directors, Program Committee and Fundraising Committee. Marc was instrumental in helping shape the activities of these committees by bringing forward the personal perspective and experience of cancer.
Marc’s gentle and compassionate manner, and inspiring cancer survival story, has encouraged more members than can be counted. Marc continues to volunteer “because Wellspring is such a wonderful community” – a community he helped shape in its earliest years.