Derek Clark had a tough time finding a moment to chat about his wellness story because his calendar is so packed full of Wellspring programs!<\/p>\n
At 74, the New Zealand native, who has lived most of his life in Canada, knows that the key to staying well, is to stay busy and connected to his dearly loved Wellspring community.<\/p>\n
\u201cI pretty much sign up for whatever I can,\u201d he said. \u201cIt gets me out of my house and keeps my mind off some of the turmoil I can find myself in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Derek learned he had melanoma at age 65, shortly after retiring from a 20-year career in the concrete and building supply industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess I really wasn\u2019t that surprised since my father had melanoma as well after he retired. We lived in some hot places, including Australia for a few years, and I don\u2019t think we gave much thought to sun protection.\u201d<\/p>\n
Luckily, doctors at Tom Baker Centre removed the cancerous mole on his arm and part of a lymph node and sent Derek back to regular check-ups at his dermatologist. He\u2019s had a few more cancerous spots removed over the years, but mainly he\u2019s been quite healthy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never married and I don\u2019t have any kids so it means a lot to have a community like Wellspring,\u201d said Derek. \u201cIt gives me a safe peaceful place to go \u2013 an environment where I\u2019m around a lot of good people who have been through struggles in their life, and we can support each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Derek isn\u2019t afraid to jump in and try almost anything Wellspring has to offer. He participates in Functional Yoga, Qigong, Men\u2019s Group, golf, Living Well with Cancer, Bingo, and plenty of social events.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy cancer experience was very minor compared to what some people at Wellspring have gone through, but it doesn\u2019t matter – everyone treats you well. Everyone is just glad to be there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Derek Clark, a 74-year-old New Zealand native living in Canada, has found solace and purpose in the Wellspring community after a melanoma diagnosis at age 65. Despite his health setbacks, he has wholeheartedly embraced Wellspring’s programs, fostering a sense of belonging and well-being through activities and connections with others who have faced their own struggles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9085,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"location":[],"class_list":["post-9063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-member-story"],"yoast_head":"\n