Born in Busan, South Korea, Hyeran Kim was raised in a structured environment where emotions were not commonly expressed. Although she had great friends, as the middle child, Hyeran often felt unseen by her parents and burdened by a quiet sadness. Always a curious and studious child, she longed for a space where her talents could be acknowledged and nurtured.
After studying law in South Korea at the age of 25, Hyeran decided to get away. She planned what was supposed to be a six-month vacation to visit her uncle, a Buddhist monk, in Toronto – but life had other plans in store. “I was always searching for the meaning of life,” Hyeran shared. While at one of her uncle’s meditation retreats, she met and fell in love with a Dutch-Canadian man who would later become her husband. Although she despised the Canadian winters, she found ways to make the most of her new home. She enrolled in the English literature program at the University of Toronto and obtained her degree.
Together, Hyeran and her husband began travelling often as part of his job – first to Rome, then Paris. Hyeran even returned to Korea to write and teach for a period of time.
However, in the summer of 2024, things took a turn. While back in Toronto, she felt a lump in her left breast and went to have it examined. Just like that, she was diagnosed with stage 2 Hormone Positive Breast Cancer. “At first I was in denial,” she shared. “I did not want to do surgery or any treatment. I delayed my decision and wanted to study. I wanted to prepare my body.” After switching care providers to one who she connected with based on their own cancer story, Hyeran knew she was in trusted hands. “Dr. C actually recommended Wellspring,” Hyeran revealed. “When I first came here, I was not feeling happy. It was a strange place to me, but people were very welcoming. I realized people with cancer were making jokes, they were laughing and happy.”
When Hyeran first came to Wellspring in November 2024, she was pessimistic, but she attended twice a week. She started with peer support sessions, where she connected with a volunteer who shared her own personal story with breast cancer. Relaxation and Visualization was the first program she decided to try. “The tools I learned in the program really helped me deal with anxiety. My mindset changed overnight,” she shared.
She loved coming to Birmingham Gilgan House so much she began increasing her visits to three to four times a week. She saw Wellspring as her adult version of school, a place she came to study. “Chi Life is more about moving your body,” Hyeran explained. “I call Chi Life and Yoga ‘moving meditation.’ It’s not strenuous at all; you become very calm and relaxed.” Knowing that her cancer had a score of 25 for recurrence, the Latin phrase memento mori was on her mind often. “There is a chance I may not have many days left,” Hyeran remembers thinking, “so, I have to do my best.”
She started keeping a journal, which was highly recommended to her in the Healing Journey program. It helped her process her thoughts and continue to shift her mindset. “I love to write about cancer, because 1 in 3 people get diagnosed with cancer. Some people think cancer is only bad, but I have found there is a good side to this experience.” She also registered for Nourish and loved learning different recipes to support her healing.
In January 2025, Hyeran finally had her surgery. Doctors spent three hours removing all the tissue from her left breast. She opted for an implant and was left with a large scar. She spent one night in the hospital and surprised many by returning to Wellspring just two days later. “I was told I broke the record,” Hyeran shared. “No one has come back that fast. I just wanted to be around my people. I couldn’t wait to take chair yoga the first day I was back.”
More than just the physical and mental benefits, Hyeran credits the power of the Wellspring community for providing her with lifelong friendships. “I’ve made more friends in a few months here at Wellspring than I have in the 30 years since I came to Canada”, she says. She recently hosted a party in her home for 16 of her Wellsprings friends. Hyeran acknowledges that without Wellspring, her cancer journey would have been very different. “From Wellspring I learned the importance of community. Where else can you meet with a group of people with cancer? There are such wonderful and compassionate people here.”
“Cancer woke me up,” she says, “I now live with gratitude and intention.”