When Michael Webber learned he had metastatic prostate cancer in May of 2022, his reaction in the months following the initial shock, was somewhat of a surprise.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn some ways, I\u2019m feeling better now than before I had cancer,\u201d said Michael, five months into treatment that included radiation and hormone therapy. \u201cThis has a lot to do with things I\u2019ve learned, and things I\u2019ve changed because of having cancer. I now spend more time with people who care and support me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael learned about his cancer at age 58, following an emergency surgery for a strangulated hernia. The surgery went well, but what followed was the grim news that the doctors found prostate cancer that had made its way to his hips and spine.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe doctor was very frank with me. He told me they wouldn\u2019t be able to cure the cancer, but they would do what they can to treat it,\u201d said Michael. And so, after nearly eight weeks in hospital, Michael was sent home where he resides alone, to find his bearings and forge a new path in the company of cancer.<\/p>\n
Michael calls it a twist in the story when he reveals what his career has been for the past several years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI work in IT in the cancer department for Alberta Health Services. When someone is newly diagnosed and they go to the cancer centre, my team supports the registration program. We set up treatment protocols and support applications – the stuff that happens for cancer patients behind the scenes,\u201d he said<\/p>\n
Searching for words along the lines of \u2018surreal\u2019 and \u2018ironic,\u2019 Michael underscores how his field of expertise relates to his new reality, and suggests that it is no coincidence that he has been able to count on his workmates for unexpected kindness and support.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy long-time friend finds difficult situations hard to deal with \u2013 so he just pretty much backed away. Whereas my co-workers have all been very supportive in their own ways,\u201d he said. \u201cPerhaps their job in the background supporting cancer patients makes them a bit more sensitive; they have a little extra empathy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael also mentions his gratitude for a neighbour who looked after his house while he was in hospital, and a former neighbour who, at 78, is more than happy to stop by and help out in any way needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI gather these people more closely now. This feels like an important thing I\u2019ve learned from having cancer. Those who are uncomfortable and haven\u2019t had much go wrong in their life, they can\u2019t find a way to be supportive. I Let those people go. I have to move on with the people who care,\u201d said Michael.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s only been a few months, and Michael\u2019s cancer diagnosis is still very \u2018fresh,\u2019 but he feels it is important to tell others about the transformative power of finding your support network, including Wellspring, when the chips are down.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first few programs I took at Wellspring, I was really just exploring. I picked one-time events like some of the speaker evenings and I was mainly just a fly on the wall,\u201d he said. \u201cThen I went to this speaker event called Conversations about Cancer with Dr. Jackson Wu, and for some reason I opened up and started talking about how I was feeling about things. It was really very helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now Michael says he looks forward to Wellspring programs each week. One of his favourites is the \u2018Living Well with Cancer\u2019 program led by cancer survivor and long-time Wellspring facilitator, Trudy Boyle. In this program Michael says he has gleaned some important nuggets of wisdom that he feels are pertinent to anyone, not just those facing cancer.<\/p>\n
One week the focus of Trudy\u2019s program was the phrase: \u2018It\u2019s not happening now\u2019 \u2026 four words that resonated with Michael.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve adopted this as a sort of mantra. You can spin it lots different ways, for example for those in the class who are worried about cancer reoccurring \u2013 \u2018It\u2019s not happening now,\u2019 helps them to stay in the present and find peace of mind,\u201d said Michael. \u201cFor me, when I find myself worrying about what might be ahead, I say to myself, \u2018it\u2019s not happening now,\u2019 and I calm right down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael has also enrolled in Wellspring\u2019s Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program, a more structured approach to living in the moment, which he says he is slowly starting to absorb. This week he plans to join Men\u2019s Group, and he has also registered to take Alberta Cancer Exercise (ACE), a research-based study evaluating the benefits of exercise\u00a0for individuals after a cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the programs our IT team supports in my work is the Cancer Registry \u2013 a repository of all cancer cases that occur in Alberta, used mostly for research,\u201d he said. \u201cI guess you could say I\u2019ve kind of come full circle, working to supply research information, and now being apart of one of those research projects.\u201d<\/p>\n
For reasons that defy the gravity of his health issues, Michael says he is experiencing some unexpected moments of joy that he hasn\u2019t felt before.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I\u2019m at the turning point now and things are starting to go my way. I\u2019ve got support, classes to go to, and work feels meaningful. The other day I had some music playing, and I was just sitting there and colouring the way I sometimes like to do, and suddenly I was caught off guard by the realization – I was actually feeling happy,\u201d said Michael.<\/p>\n
For Christmas this year, Michael made his cherished co-workers homemade Christmas cards.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to be remembered as the guy having cancer, I want to be the guy who did nice things and made colourful pictures and cards for people,\u201d<\/em> said Michael.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s only been a few months, and Michael\u2019s cancer diagnosis is still very \u2018fresh,\u2019 but he feels it is important to tell others about the transformative power of finding your support network, including Wellspring, when the chips are down.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7999,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"location":[],"class_list":["post-1783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-member-story"],"yoast_head":"\n