Tracy’s Story: Destined for Cancer Care

At 21 years old, Tracy Cui has already lived through unimaginable grief, losing her mom to cancer in her late teens. But while some would find it difficult to move forward, Tracy emerged with hope, resilience, and a powerful sense of purpose.

Motivated by her family’s experience, and fortified by her parents’ enduring love, she is now pursuing a career in medicine, with the goal of becoming an oncologist – bringing compassion and human connection to cancer care.

Today, Tracy is a dedicated volunteer at Wellspring Alberta, a community that reflects her belief that cancer care extends far beyond medical treatment. Her connection to Wellspring is deeply rooted in her own family’s experience and a growing commitment to ensuring others feel supported through it.

In the Beginning

Tracy was born in China and moved to Canada as an infant in 2005. Growing up as an only child, she relished her life in a close-knit family shaped by strong principles, perseverance, and the steadfast devotion of her two loving parents.

In 2014, when Tracy was just nine, her mom was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Treatment followed, and for a time, remission brought hope.

“I couldn’t quite grasp how serious it could be. I was just kind of used to our situation, living with my mom being sick throughout many of those early years,” said Tracy.

However, the gravity of their situation changed in 2018, when her mom’s cancer returned and was now stage 4. By then, Tracy was in junior high and beginning to comprehend what the diagnosis meant. “Even though my mom always tried to hide the worst parts of how she was doing, I think by then I knew — this is serious,” she said.

Over the next few years, her mother cycled through every available treatment until eventually, there were no more options, and care for her shifted to comfort and quality of life. While for some, palliative care might create a sense of doom, for Tracy’s mom, it seemed to bring on a heightened state of peace.

“We’re not a particularly spiritual family, yet my dad and I often thought my mom took on an enlightened form; she was this peaceful, content, and honestly Buddha-like figure,” said Tracy.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tracy’s world narrowed in ways that were both confining and unexpectedly comforting. With school online and her father working from home, the tight-knit family spent all of their time together.

“For most teenagers, spending every day with their parents wouldn’t exactly be the most desirable situation to be in, but because of my mom’s illness and how close we had become over the years, this time was really special for me. I remember being very content at that time in my life,” she said.

That safe harbour lasted until her mother’s condition worsened and she was admitted to hospital in October 2021. With strict COVID visiting policies in place, Tracy, now in high school, had to settle for long nightly phone calls with her mom. Still, she says, her deep connection with both parents and her dad’s quiet strength helped hold her world together.

“At this point, the idea of my mom passing away still hadn’t quite hit me. I still thought she’d come home,” she says. “Having calls with her every day made my day; it was very grounding for me.”

After her mother’s death, grief was immensely heavy for both Tracy and her dad, but so too was their resilience. They leaned on each other and found comfort in their close bond. “We were each other’s support systems; we held each other up,” she said.

Tracy talks of her deep respect for both parents: for her mom, who demonstrated incredible strength and grace, even as illness diminished her physicality; and for her dad, who she describes as quiet, reliable and kind.

“My parents had such a strong bond; they were companions, partners, and my dad oriented much of his life around their relationship and caring for her. I know it was extremely hard for him to go on without her, but we have a strong philosophy that life must continue,” she said. “So, over the years, he has found healthy coping mechanisms, immersing himself in different hobbies, and some, like music and calligraphy, are connected to my mom.”

Today, four years after her mom’s passing, Tracy says, whenever she finds herself feeling down about the magnitude of her loss, she leans into the core values of a family she feels blessed to have been born into.

“I try to ground myself in the idea that my mom would be upset if she thought my dad and I would stop living because we lost her,” reflects Tracy. “In a way, it’s like she’s holding us accountable to carry on and have a good life. This is what she would want for us.”

Paving the Way Forward

Reflecting back on her mom’s cancer journey, Tracy feels drawn to uncover the human experience behind a cancer diagnosis.

“I realize that my mom always tried to protect me, to shelter me from the worst parts of her illness, so there were many parts of her suffering that I did not see,” said Tracy. “But after she passed, I had this deep desire to connect to and understand her experience. I want to understand as many aspects of cancer care as I can.”

In her first year of university, Tracy set her sights on medicine and learning about the world of oncology.

“First, I wanted to explore cancer from a research perspective, as I know that research drives medical advancement and cancer care,” she said. “I found a professor in the department of Oncology, Dr. Vickie Baracos, who specializes in palliative care and cancer cachexia (wasting away of the body due to cancer), and I got accepted to be her summer student and have been with her for three summers now.”  Dr. Baracos is also supervising Tracy’s undergraduate thesis.

In the fall of 2025, Tracy applied to medical school with hopes of studying in Alberta so she can stay close to her dad, her mentors, and Wellspring Alberta.

Learning through Volunteering

Tracy isn’t just a devoted university student; she spends innumerable hours volunteering at three different Edmonton facilities.

At Devonshire Care Centre, she values the chance to understand and promote quality of life, especially for those who are on palliative support. At the Cross Cancer Institute, she volunteers in the Wig Salon, where wigs can be a unique accessory for some, while for others, can bring about a sense of normalcy and dignity while receiving cancer treatment. It was at the Wig Salon that Tracy first learned about Wellspring.

“I had never heard of Wellspring Alberta, but when my partner at the Wig Salon was describing how they offer support for all the non-medical sides of having cancer, I was like – yes! I’m in!” she said.

Shortly after, she signed up to volunteer at Wellspring, adding a new dimension of cancer care to her learning continuum.

The Wellspring Village

Tracy’s love for her volunteer work at Wellspring is rooted in her personal experience, her research, and her deep belief that cancer care extends beyond medical treatment alone.

“It takes a village to care for the whole person,” she explains. “You want the medical team, and the support of family and friends, but then you need other resources like Wellspring that can overlap with family and friends, and take care of the human experience of cancer.”

That idea of holistic, comprehensive care has become a passion for Tracy, one that is tied to her belief in community.

“I really care about community. Especially as I get older, it’s really important to me that everyone feels like they belong,” she said. “That’s why I love Wellspring Alberta. My way to describe Wellspring is a feeling of warmth. You walk in, and immediately you experience this feeling of support, friendship and belonging.”

As a Friday volunteer at Edmonton House, Tracy lends her support wherever she can, whether that involves providing building tours, offering a listening ear, or helping to run programs such as Nourish. One of Tracy’s trademark contributions is her creation of the monthly program calendar, a large whiteboard filled with colour and creativity. With her love of art, she designs it with extra pizzazz, making it fun, welcoming, and easy to explore.

What stands out most at Wellspring for Tracy is the comfort and ease of engagement she witnesses among members during programs or when they gather afterward in the kitchen. “I love just being in close proximity, tidying or doing dishes and just observing. The sense of connection and camaraderie is palpable,” she said.

And while she’s offering the gift of her time and talents, in turn, she feels nourished herself, mentioning the kindness of staff, and affectionately referring to the older women volunteers she works alongside as her “Wellspring Grandmas.”

Looking ahead, Tracy’s ultimate goal is to ensure people always feel supported. Inspired by the many mentors and communities that have encouraged her dream of studying medicine, she hopes to make a marked difference in the world of cancer.

“I think that what we all kind of want at the end of the day is to feel that support and belonging – especially when dealing with cancer. I want to help those people and their loved ones to know that they always have someone in their corner,” she said.