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When Dennis Seibel was diagnosed with cancer, something extraordinary happened\u2026 instead of losing faith, he found a new path forward.<\/p>\nWhen Dennis Seibel was diagnosed with cancer, something extraordinary happened\u2026 instead of losing faith, he found a new path forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how to describe it, but something happened to me. I call it a spiritual intervention. I decided I had a choice to make. There were two paths I could take and if I took the first path, I wouldn\u2019t last long. I chose the second path. I chose to face the challenge and look for the silver linings. To try and transform and rebuild my life with positivity and purpose,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Dennis was at a particularly low point in his life in 2022, when a persistent cough sent him to the doctor.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had lost my job, my long-term relationship ended, my business had taken a hit during COVID, money was running out\u2026 I felt like I lost everything,\u201d he said. \u201cWith everything snowballing out of control in my life, I wasn\u2019t that concerned about the cough that wouldn\u2019t go away. But then I lost my voice.\u201d<\/p>\n
When the diagnosis was throat cancer, Dennis was completely blindsided. \u201cIt felt like an airplane hitting the side of a mountain,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Immediately admitted to hospital, Dennis spent 10 weeks at Tom Baker Cancer Centre where treatment included a tracheotomy, chemotherapy, and a high dose of radiation.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy first three weeks in hospital were rough. I was so weak, that the doctors told me later they didn\u2019t think I would make it. I was at a point where I didn\u2019t even really want to make it. But then this change came from above and also from within,\u201d he said. \u201cI decided I wanted to fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Dennis, fighting meant opening himself up in ways he never imagined he would. It meant dropping his guard and showing his family and friends his true self \u2013 raw and real.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to be positive and ambitious. I had a good outlook on life and a sense of humour. But things had turned very negative, and I was a typical male \u2013 closed – everything under lock and key. Now I\u2019ve decided I\u2019m going to be an open book. I talk to my sisters and everyone openly and willingly. I\u2019m proud of my story. It\u2019s humbling and humiliating, but I\u2019m proud because of how I\u2019ve come through it, and the steps I\u2019ve taken to be a better, more open person,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
When Dennis got sick, his life came full circle\u2026 he found himself coming home to Brooks, Alberta where he grew up and where his parents and siblings still live. He moved in with his sister and has slowly been finding a way to live as well as he can, even with a feeding tube, ongoing medical needs, and dependence on those who care for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t help but look back through all the misery of getting sick and being grateful for what happened. Cancer brought me back to my family. It brought me back to my faith. I can say overwhelmingly \u2013 I\u2019m happier now than I was prior to getting cancer, even though I\u2019ve lost everything,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
When Dennis finished treatment in August 2022, he heard about Wellspring and immediately tapped into peer support and the Money Matters program.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I learned that Wellspring provides more than just physical and emotional support, I was able to reach out and use their Money Matters program to guide me through the process of accessing government programs such as CPP and disability. This was such a relief, especially very early on. I was so focused on my health, everything else had fallen to the side,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
A few months later, while in Calgary for a medical procedure, Dennis dropped by a Wellspring centre to leave a gift of his homemade pepper jellies, and he was moved by the experience. \u201cI was inspired by the people there and what they were doing to help people in need,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The experience reminded him that there is a community of support there for him, whenever he is ready, and wherever he is at.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am so grateful to my family and friends who have been there through all the stages of my journey, but sometimes you need a different kind of connection; people outside of family to add an extra layer of comfort.<\/p>\n
I live in Brooks and I can\u2019t drive, so it\u2019s good that I can connect with Wellspring and access their services from anywhere,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This fall, Dennis signed up for several Wellspring programs that are set to begin this month online.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t experienced the full impact of Wellspring yet, but I\u2019ve seen it, and I\u2019m looking forward to it. I know it will be beneficial to me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCancer can put you in a dark place but family and places like Wellspring, they turn on a light for you; help to guide you out of it. My circle has changed \u2013 it\u2019s gotten smaller \u2013 but it\u2019s gotten so much better. The good ones stay,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Going forward, Dennis says he is not the man he once was; but he hopes that by being open and sharing, he is living his purpose.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope my story can help others. Maybe they learn from my mistakes or take precautions because of something I did or didn\u2019t do. Or maybe they come to see what I\u2019ve seen; that being open is better, and that our true strength and resilience are put to the test during times of adversity. If we choose to, we can find silver linings, and in those moments, we can transform ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dennis Seibel’s life changed dramatically when he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2022. He chose to fight, returned to his family, and sought support through Wellspring’s programs. His journey is a story of transformation, positivity, and openness in the face of adversity. Dennis hopes to inspire others to find silver linings in challenging times.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"location":[],"class_list":["post-9068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-member-story"],"yoast_head":"\n