Nishail’s story: opening doors for South Asians living with cancer

Nishail Shaikh may be buried in university courses, but she always manages to find time to volunteer at Wellspring Alberta, and with close ties to her South Asian heritage, she is keen to assist with Wellspring’s new South Asian Outreach Project.

“There is a really big need for this program. The South Asian community in Canada is very strong and connected. But in such a tight community, cultural norms are strong and misinformation can easily be contained,” she said.

In this instance, Nishail is referring to the inherent stigma around illness such as cancer, that perpetuates denial and secrecy, sometimes prohibiting South Asian people from getting the support they need to cope with a diagnosis.

“It’s no one’s fault. It is just a belief system passed on from generation to generation. You don’t really question things you grow up with,” said Nishail.

Nishail has experienced firsthand how conversations around cancer in her community sometimes contain inaccuracies; and how, in general, it can be a forbidden topic for various reasons including marriage and family prospects. She is hoping that by volunteering in a cancer support organization she can help to change that narrative.

“By tailoring programs to the South Asian community, Wellspring will give South Asians a voice–a safe place where they can openly share all that they are going through, including mental, emotional, and physical health challenges,” she said.

Nishail was born in Canada to parents of Pakistani and Bengali heritage. She was first introduced to Wellspring while volunteering with a high school club that offered its services to charities in need of volunteers for short term projects. On this occasion, the students were enlisted to rake leaves at Wellspring’s Carma House.

“My mom was late picking me up that day, so I went inside and talked with the centre manager. I was so enthralled with the information about what Wellspring does, that I made a pact to come back and become a volunteer as soon as I turned 18. And I did! The week I turned 18, the first thing I did was turn in my application to volunteer at Wellspring.”

Since then, Nishail has volunteered for various Wellspring events, and she is a regular online program volunteer.

“I was drawn to Wellspring because there is so much impact in the work they do. They are incredibly innovative and inclusive, connecting people on so many levels and addressing their mental and emotional health. Being a part of something that is so much bigger than me has helped to ground me and give me purpose,” said Nishail.

Studying cellular molecular microbial biology, Nishail somehow also finds time to volunteer at Foothills Medical Centre.

“You can see that in the hospital environment and other parts of their life, people who are ill with cancer are treated like they are ill. But at Wellspring, people are just people–together not alone–on a holistic journey of wellness,” said Nishail.

If she could speak directly to South Asians living with cancer, Nishail has this to say…

“I hope you realize that it’s okay to talk, to share your feelings and share your story. Even if you can’t share it with your family or your close friends, you have a community here at Wellspring. In this community you can find skills for coping, and you can meet others just like you and see how they are coping. I believe you will find your voice and build confidence and resilience at Wellspring,” said Nishail.

Support Designed for the South Asian Community

Wellspring Alberta will be offering its first program this fall that has been designed around supporting those in the South Asian community who are living with cancer, as part of the South Asian Outreach Project. Stay tuned for more information.

All our efforts to support the South Asian communities affected by cancer are made possible by the generosity of the Calgary Foundation.