A Room with a Hug: Honouring Pat Wilson’s Wellspring Legacy

Some people leave a mark on the world, not because they sought recognition, but because they showed up week after week, year after year, with open arms and an unwavering belief in the power of community. Pat Wilson was one of those people.

In honour of Pat’s extraordinary legacy as a long-time Wellspring volunteer, her daughter Nancy Wright and son-in-law Paul Wright, have made a significant donation to Wellspring Alberta. As a result, a room at Carma House will bear Pat’s name – the Pat Wilson Reception – ensuring her warmth, exuberant spirit, and generosity will live on within the walls she helped build.

Nancy and Paul see the room naming as a deeply meaningful way to honour Pat, who devoted so much of her time and heart to Wellspring. They were able to share the news with her in 2024, as Pat was nearing the end of her life in a Calgary hospice.

“When we told mom that we made this donation and Wellspring would name a room after her, her smile reached her eyes. She was so pleased. I was so glad we could tell her this before she passed,” said Nancy.

It is fitting that Wellspring will name the reception area at Carma House after Pat. Those first steps into Wellspring, a space some people arrive at carrying fear, uncertainty, and hope, was where Pat spent countless hours doing what she did best: welcoming them with a hug and an open heart.

Building the Dream

Pat’s Wellspring journey began long before Carma House opened its doors. In 2006, when Wellspring Calgary’s co-founders John Stephure, Barbara Cunnings, and Rita Egizii came together to create their dream of a cancer support organization, Nancy met the then newly appointed Executive Director, Patti Morris, and became Wellspring’s first volunteer. Nancy’s mom, Pat, was right behind her. Side by side, they helped set up the early Wellspring space in Calgary in 2007, and with a handful of staff and volunteers, Wellspring launched its first programs a year before the fledgling organization had a permanent home.

Then in 2008, when Carma Developers (now Brookfield Residential) donated and built Carma House in northwest Calgary, Pat, Nancy and Paul were among the hundreds of volunteers who pitched in to help build the first Wellspring home in Alberta. In the archives of Wellspring photos, there are pictures of Pat and Nancy donning hardhats and hammering wall boards, hands-on proof that their commitment to Wellspring went far beyond words.

Their labour was, and still is for Nancy, a labour of love. Together, they shared a deeply impassioned belief in Wellspring’s vision, purpose, programs, and people. While often in the background, Paul has also always been on the Wellspring bandwagon. As Nancy carries on volunteering weekly and holds a position on the Wellspring Board of Directors, Paul is equally dedicated to the cause, and his generosity and support for Wellspring have been steadfast and impactful.

The Pat Experience

Inside Carma House, Pat became a familiar and beloved presence. She wasn’t just a volunteer – she was an experience.

“Mom was the Wellspring hug, that warm embrace waiting for you when you came through the doors,” Nancy shared. “Sometimes we tried to caution her, you can’t hug everyone! Some people might not want to be hugged! But she just went for it; for her, it was always what people needed.”

Hugging may have been Pat’s signature offering, but it wasn’t her only contribution. Pat was the original Wellspring child minder, affording Wellspring members the opportunity to bring their kids to a welcoming supervised space while they were taking programs. The kids loved Pat, and she loved them, staying in contact with many of these families after their time at Wellspring.

Alongside her dear friend Bette Brown and her daughter Nancy, Pat was part of the earliest small but devoted team called “The Thursday Girls,” who established the enduring belief that volunteers are the heartbeat of the organization. The Thursday Girls were up for any and all tasks, including greeting members, offering tours, suggesting programs, answering phones, making coffee and tea, putting out snacks, loading and unloading the dishwasher, washing yoga mats – whatever was needed, they were on it.

As Wellspring grew and technology became a more integral part of operations, Pat and Bette happily deferred the technical tasks to Nancy and other volunteers, and leaned fully into what they loved most: being present for members. Their focus was always on comfort, care and connection – ensuring every person who walked through the doors felt welcome, seen, and supported.

They, along with other dedicated volunteers, did this week after week, year after year.

Pat’s dedication also extended well beyond the walls of Carma House. She was a familiar face at numerous Wellspring fundraising events, whether volunteering or cheering from the sidelines. When Nancy took part in several consecutive Cancervive tours, a cycling fundraiser for Wellspring, Pat was always present at the finish line.

“You could always spot mom in the crowd. She’d be the one cheering for us and wearing a bright blue wig – the Cancervive colour,” Nancy said.

Pat even travelled to the United States to cheer on Nancy and others on the cycling team during the early days when Cancervive organized long tours to Philadelphia, Austin, and Portland, Maine. The pair also put together a team of 16 Wellspring staff, volunteers and friends who, under the Cancervive umbrella, participated in a Lance Armstrong Challenge in support of a Wellspring staff member living with cancer. In later years, as the cycling tour narrowed its scope to Alberta, Pat could be found in a support vehicle, handing out snacks and hugs, or waiting proudly at the finish line.

Glitter and Grace

Anyone who knew Pat was familiar with her vibrant spirit and unique style. While her hugs may have earned her a reputation for compassion, she was also known for her big, bold costume jewelry, funky glasses, fun polka-dot outfits, sparkly gemstone-studded runners, and dazzling smile.

“Mom loved a good party and was often the first to get one started,” said Nancy. “She brought the joie de vivre wherever she went.”

When Pat was 87, just over a year before her passing, her family hosted a “Party of a Lifetime,” a living celebration of life, filled with tributes, laughter, and love. The house was packed, the stories flowed, and Pat sat in the front row, flanked by her children and grandchildren, grinning and giddy with joy.

“She touched a lot of people and lived a great life. For many years, Wellspring was a huge part of what brought her joy,” said Nancy. “It’s wonderful that her name will live on in Carma House.”

Through Nancy and Paul’s generosity, Pat Wilson’s legacy will continue to be felt in the warm embraces, the caring conversations, and the moments of comfort shared in the Pat Wilson Reception at Carma House. It is a tribute not just to a remarkable volunteer, but to a life lived with purpose, compassion, and commitment to community.