Frequently Asked Questions
About Wellspring
The need for non-medical support for cancer patients and their families is already very real… and growing. In Canada, we are fortunate to have world-class treatment facilities along with specialized oncology teams and excellent ancillary healthcare providers. But the healthcare system does not have the resources to meet the significant non-medical needs of people with cancer. Wellspring is here to help to fill this gap. Wellspring has devoted its work to addressing these non-medical impacts of cancer.
Research shows cancer patients who participate in the types of programs offered at Wellspring experience improved mental health resulting in higher quality of life and lower healthcare costs.
Cancer patients and cancer survivors often report symptoms which cause distress. These include things like:
- Pain
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Financial burden
This is in addition to other physical, emotional, social, and practical challenges.
Wellspring centres offer centralized, comprehensive cancer wellness and support programs to anyone impacted by any type of cancer. Specifically, Wellspring will provide support:
- For anyone affected by cancer, including family, friends and caregivers
- For people with any type of cancer, at any stage
- For as long as help is needed
- In collaboration with medical treatment
- In a home-like, non-hospital, non-clinical setting
- Free of charge with no need for an appointment
It is completely free to participate in any Wellspring’s programs. Wellspring provides all of its programs free-of-charge, and without referral.
However, while volunteers form a strong basis of our support, it does cost money for Wellspring to run its programs. Our program leaders are paid professionals with knowledge in their field. This is in addition to other overhead expenses such as staff, buildings, infrastructure, etc.
Wellspring does not receive core government or hospital funding. We are 100% donor-funded.
Before you can participate in a Wellspring program, you will need to tell us a bit about yourself first. We ask that you complete our short membership form, which allows us to help you find the programs that will best suit your needs. If you prefer to call, a Wellspring volunteer will be available and more than happy to help you with this process.
Wellspring has no set membership period, and encourages individuals to take programs for as long as you feel you need support. However, recognizing that our programs and services are completely donor-funded, and in the interest of ensuring those who need our programs can take them, here are some general guidelines:
- For those for whom cancer is no longer significantly impacting your life, or who are no longer caring for someone with cancer, we encourage you to consider becoming a volunteer and/or pursuing broader community programs. In a volunteer role, your lived experience is invaluable, particularly to our newer members. To express your interest visit our Volunteer page and fill out a volunteer form.
- Caregivers can continue to be a member for the time that they are caring for someone living with cancer. In the unfortunate event that their loved one passes, caregivers are welcome to continue receiving Wellspring support for up to one year following the death of their loved one.
Wellspring Alberta has two centres in Calgary and one in Edmonton. We also offer in-person programs at partner locations throughout the province. You can see the full list of our locations here.
Even if you live far away or in a different province, you can still access Wellspring’s programs! Check out our full offering of online, Canada-wide programming here.
Wellspring Alberta membership is for the following individuals:
- Any adult who is newly diagnosed, in treatment, recovering from cancer, or coping with a cancer that may never go away.
- Any adult who is emotionally close to and acting in a caregiving role for an adult diagnosed with cancer. The person you are caring for does not need to be a Wellspring member in order for you to join.
- Any person under the age of 18 years who is emotionally close to an adult family member diagnosed with cancer may attend kid friendly programs. Check the individual program for age ranges.
- Anyone can attend our public programs.
Processing grief is hard and we wish to extend our sincere sympathy for the loss of your loved one.
While Wellspring Alberta does not provide specific bereavement services, we can assist you in the following ways:
Wellspring Alberta Services
Current caregiving members:
- You can continue to access programs and services for up to one year following the death of your loved one.
- Book an appointment for a personal conversation with Cindy or Bert, Wellspring Alberta’s Transition Support Coaches, who can provide a grief assessment and referral services. Call to request an appointment: 1-866-682-3135
All individuals:
- If you find us following the passing of your loved one, you can access Wellspring Alberta’s public programs, including Time with Cindy. This program offers group opportunities for reflection on grief and loss and provides information on community-based programs and resources. Visit our website to register.
- Our Money Matters program can provide information and resources before and after bereavement (e.g., information on CPP benefits, funeral planning, wills and estates, community resources, form completion and more). Call to book an appointment: 1-866-682-3135
- You are invited to visit us at any of our three centres, we currently have libraries at our two Calgary locations.
We also suggest seeking out external grief services
Because Wellspring works hard not to duplicate services provided by other organizations, we don’t provide membership to children with cancer. Instead, we recommend reaching out to Kids Cancer Care, which specializes in providing these programs and services.
That said, just as Kids Cancer Care is there to support your child living with cancer, Wellspring is here to support you as caregivers. As a caregiver, you may become a Wellspring member and take as many programs as you wish.
Please note that while we do have kid-friendly programs, they are primarily for children whose significant adult has cancer. We don’t have the expertise to support children living with cancer.
Wellspring Alberta has a Member Code of Conduct, which is our commitment to one another.
The Code of Conduct is as follows:
I understand that my active and ethical participation is important to the success of my involvement and Wellspring Alberta’s efforts. Therefore, I agree to abide by the following guidelines for my participation:
- I will treat all individuals with fairness and respect and be a positive role model for others with whom I have contact.
- I recognize that each person associated with Wellspring Alberta must be free to pursue the course of action they choose. In this spirit, I will not offer ‘prescriptions’ to any member of the community. Likewise, I will issue no judgment or criticism upon any member for the choices they make.
- I respect the right of every person to enjoy the space, solitude and full benefits offered by Wellspring Alberta . To this end, I will not willingly and/or maliciously interfere with staff, instructors, members and/or volunteers nor cause disruption of sessions.
- I will hold in confidence all personal information gained about any members I meet, unless the member has agreed to have this information shared OR unless I believe, on reasonable grounds, that sharing such information will minimize harm to that member.
- I understand that personal relationships are ethical insofar as they do not create a situation in which one person is uncomfortable and/or feeling threatened.
- I will not place any member of the Wellspring community in a position which creates an ethical or legal dilemma for them (e.g., requests to copy materials in violation of copyright, make fraudulent claims, or make requests for access to confidential material).
- In choosing to be associated with Wellspring Alberta, I assume the obligation to contribute to the Wellspring Alberta community, and will act accordingly to support the cause of Wellspring Alberta .
- I will report any concerns to the CEO or to the President of the Board or to a staff member as appropriate.
- As a Board member, staff, instructor, volunteer, or member I recognize my role as an ambassador to the community, especially when representing Wellspring Alberta and will act accordingly.
- In order to preserve the privacy, safety and well-being of Wellspring Alberta for all members, I will not solicit or market services or products within the Wellspring Alberta community, unless approved by management.
Accessing Wellspring Programs
To register as a Wellspring member, first head to the home page and click on the “Join for Free” button, which will bring you to the Getting Started page.
From here, scroll down and click on the relevant member option. This will bring you a page with more details on the membership type you selected.
Scroll down to the section called “The Registration Process” and click on the “Sign up as a Member” button.
From here, you will then be prompted to fill out basic information about yourself. Once you’ve completed these steps, you are now a member and can register for any of our programs.
Go to https://portal.wellspring.ca/ and log in to your member account.
From here, you can scroll or use the filters to find the right program(s) for you.
Clicking on the Program name will open a page with more information about the program, including what time it runs, where, and how to register.
You should have received an email from Wellspring on March 4th, using the email address “noreply@wellspring.ca”. This email provided a link to your account. If you haven’t seen it yet, make sure to check your Junk folder.
If you don’t have this email, simply go to the Program portal, click on Login, and then select the Forgot your password? link. You will then be prompted with the steps to reset your password.
When you are logged in, you should see “My Profile” as an option within the purple bar.
Once within this space, you can add or change any information.
Remember to click “Save” at the bottom of the screen to capture your changes.
Yes! You can have your spouse make their own account using the same email address by adding a +1 when registering. For example:
John Doe’s account is under thedoes@gmail.com. His wife Jane uses the same email address. She can create her own account with its own password by registering as thedoes+1@gmail.com, and she will still be able to get program updates, newsletters, and more to her shared email.
If the program you’re interested in is currently full for registration, you can add yourself to a waitlist to be alerted once a spot opens up. This process is the same as registering for a program – just click the Waitlist button instead of the usual Register one.
Once a spot opens up in the program, you will receive an email letting you know you have been admitted. You may also receive a call from a Wellspring volunteer letting you know about the change.
Zoom is a video conferencing platform that is used for all of Wellspring’s online programs.
All you need is a computer with a camera and audio.
You can use a laptop, desktop computer or tablet. We don’t recommend using your smart phone, as it may result in difficulty viewing the leader, the other participants and the materials given the small size of the screen.
The first time you use Zoom:
- You will need to download Zoom to your computer. It is a very fast and easy download. Visit http://zoom.us
- Alternatively, after registering for an online program, you will receive an automatic email from Wellspring which provides the link to the conference in which you have registered.
Select the hyperlink in the body of the email (as shown in the circle) to join the meeting.
The first time you use Zoom, the link will take you to the Zoom webpage. A pop-up bar will appear along the bottom. Click Run.
- Zoom will quickly download, and you will be joined into the program session. You will see yourself on video.
Zoom Features:
Audio: Click Join Audio (located in the lower left corner of your screen)
Mute: Click on this to mute or un-mute your own audio
Video: Click on this to allow yourself to be seen
Chat: Click on this to send a message to the entire group, or to speak privately with the group leader.
Gallery View: Click on this to give each person equal space on the screen. When speaking, the box around the speaker is highlighted. Speaker view gives the most visual space to the person speaking, while those not speaking will remain visible in small boxes on the right hand side of the screen.
Leave Meeting: Click this at the end of the session. You will be asked to confirm your intent to leave.
Supporting Wellspring
Wellspring Alberta is a charitable organization that rely entirely on donations from generous individuals, sponsors, and corporations to sustain its programs and services. Wellspring receives no core government or hospital funding.
Your generosity opens doors and improves the lives of those living with cancer, ensuring:
- Individuals living with cancer continue to receive a wide range of programs to meet the critical emotional, practical and physical needs
- The ever-increasing volume of members and their changing needs for supportive cancer care can be met
- New programs can be developed that fill current gaps in the care of cancer patients
Yes, every Wellspring is a registered charitable organization and provides charitable tax receipts to its donors. All online donors will receive their tax receipt promptly to their email address after completing their donation, and offline donors will receive their tax receipt in the mail after their gift has been processed.
Yes!
Volunteers are the heart of Wellspring, providing important support at every level of the organization.
Whether you have experienced your own cancer journey, have been a caregiver for someone with cancer, or you are someone who has gifts and skills to share, Wellspring welcomes and values your contribution.
Wellspring Alberta is a registered Canadian charity that receives no core government or agency funding. That means we rely on the generosity of the community and individual donors to ensure we can offer our programs and services at no cost to our members – reducing any barriers to entry. Wellspring Alberta’s charitable business number is 809013675 RR0001.
