When Lejla first received her diagnosis, it didn’t fully register.
Years before the COVID-19 pandemic, she was told she had a condition that put her at higher risk for developing cancer. The name was unfamiliar, the implications unclear. “I came home and said, ‘I have some sickness… but it doesn’t mean anything except that I am at risk,’” she recalls.
But in 2024, things changed. Her condition progressed to smoldering multiple myeloma: a form of blood cancer that, despite being one of the more common types, is still not widely understood. The word “cancer” landed heavily.
“It was a shock,” Lejla says. “Even when they say ‘smoldering,’ it is still cancer. It’s upsetting.”
One year later, her worst fears became reality. In December 2025, Lejla suffered a pelvic fracture. After the doctors inspected, she found herself officially diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
The physical pain was overwhelming. “I couldn’t sleep. I was on morphine,” she says. “It was so hard. I remember thinking, ‘I will take the whole bottle and finish it.’ That is how much pain I was in.”
Alongside the physical toll came an equally difficult mental health battle. Having been previously diagnosed with depression, Lejla recognized the signs and knew she needed support, but finding it wasn’t easy.
“I was searching everywhere,” she says. “It didn’t matter where. I just needed help.”
She explored patient organizations and resources, even looking internationally for support online. While some offered valuable medical information, she struggled to find the kind of emotional and mental health support she needed.
But then she discovered Wellspring through a multiple myeloma information session held at Birmingham Gilgan House in Oakville. What she learned there changed everything.
“I saw that they have support—not just for multiple myeloma, but for all cancer patients,” she says. “I was so happy to finally find this.”
She started taking programs immediately, and through conversations with other participants, she began to explore all that Wellspring had to offer. Encouraged by others, she signed up for programs like Yoga, Chi Life, and Reiki, gradually becoming more involved.
“Wellspring is very welcoming,” Lejla shares. “You feel like you are coming to family. Everyone understands what you are going through.”
For Lejla, that shared understanding made all the difference. Being surrounded by people who had faced similar challenges created a sense of connection and comfort she hadn’t found elsewhere.
“When they give you support, they know exactly what you need, because they have been there,” she says.
The physical programs also played an important role in her recovery. After her fracture, she notes that Wellspring programs helped her begin to heal and regain strength. Today, she credits her ability to walk without a walker to her time spent in Yoga and Chi Life.
Looking back, Lejla recognizes how far she has come, not just physically, but emotionally. And she carries that perspective forward, offering encouragement to others who are just beginning their journey.
“I hope my story can help someone else now,” she says. “I have passed so many obstacles.”
Through it all, Wellspring has been a steady source of support. A place where Lejla found not only programs, but connection, understanding, and hope.
“It’s a place where you don’t feel alone.”