Submitted by Maija Clarke
In the spring of 2022 I was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. I had been having yearly mammograms since I was 50. However, during COVID, I skipped one year . I had always been healthy and had never heard of DCIS until it was found on my mammogram at age 56. I was shocked at the diagnosis and then afraid of next steps, worried about pathology, treatment outcomes and the future.
I had retired from teaching during the pandemic and was navigating empty nest syndrome with my adult children leaving after university.
While I was awaiting surgery, my mother had a severe stroke and passed away several weeks after being in the hospital. After my lumpectomy I learned about Wellspring and decided to try out some of the programs including Chi Life, Relaxation and Meditation, Healing Energy Reiki sessions and Drumming. Being with other cancer patients and survivors helped me feel understood.
Up until Wellspring I had the support of family and friends, but I still felt alone and afraid. Especially when I was in waiting rooms of hospitals at the different stages of my own illness, as I found no one was overly open about their experiences.
In 2023 my father was diagnosed with basal cell skin cancer. In 2024 my father received the diagnosis of mesothelioma. I became his full-time caregiver and my father died nine months later. During this time my father and I participated in the online music therapy sessions.
I had gone from cancer patient/survivor to caregiver to someone with cancer to bereaved family member. All of these events occurred within 2 1/2 years of my own diagnosis. I will always be grateful for the peer counselling and therapy sessions I received at Wellspring that helped provide an anchor for me when I needed it.
Wellspring has always been a welcoming place to go whether in person or online. I hope one day I can volunteer in some capacity and spread the word of the valuable programs and support Wellspring offers to those afflicted by cancer.
The programs exist because of the generosity of donations and concerted effort of staff and volunteers meeting the needs of the diverse communities that Wellspring serves.
My experiences have taught me that “we are in this together” as a collective whole. Wellspring provides the missing piece of the puzzle whether your are newly diagnosed, finished treatment, caring for a loved one or navigating the grief process .
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.