When Melanie was diagnosed with breast cancer in October of 2018, she had no idea she was only scratching the surface of her cancer story. With her surgery just one month later and the chemotherapy phase of her treatment beginning shortly after, the emotional and physical toll of the journey started to surface. It was at this time she was referred to Wellspring by her care team. Due to managing her treatment as well as caring for her husband Sean, who was dealing with his own health challenges, it took a while for Melanie to make it to the centre. Recalling her first visit to Wellspring, she shared, “By February, my husband was strong enough to join me, so we visited Westerkirk House for the first time. We both became members and took a selfie to mark the occasion.” The first program she enrolled in was the meditation class, and she loved it. Then came the art classes.
By the summer of 2019, Melanie had transitioned to the radiation phase of her treatment, which began to take a greater toll on her body. Recalling Wellspring being a sanctuary for her at that time, she shared, “Wellspring was en route to my treatment. It was so comforting to know that I could pop in and rest anytime. I was feeling so weak; it was so helpful that I could go and enjoy the air conditioning, the comfortable chairs and chat with such friendly people.” She was happy to complete her radiation treatment that fall, but she began longing for community and connection. She decided to enroll in Nourish, which helped improve her energy levels. She also took Qigong, Art Therapy, Reiki, and Healing Journey. “I was very, very weak at that time, but everyone made me feel so comfortable! I was embracing all the wonderful supports that Wellspring offered. And thanks to these programs, I slowly started to gain my strength.”
Then, in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic happened—the thought of losing her support network concerned Melanie. “What am I going to do?” she recalled worrying, “but somehow Wellspring managed to transition online! Many people complained about the pandemic being a horrible time of isolation. I found it to be the total opposite, and I completely embraced it. I took every course imaginable. I carried on with Healing Journey, all through to level 6.”
A few years later, with Melanie finally beginning to feel at ease with her cancer in remission and finding her stride with her community, she received devastating news. “Just as I was hitting my 5-year remission with cancer, my husband received his own cancer diagnosis. Even though I had dealt with an aggressive form of breast cancer, he became sicker than I ever was.” Watching her husband go from independent to dependent almost overnight was not only painful but also incredibly stressful for Melanie. Sean was in the hospital frequently. When he wasn’t in hospital, a care team was at Melanie’s home; she would witness almost 20 different people in her house per week. “For me to even get a break was tough. It was a big invasion of my life. It was extremely helpful to have virtual support; there was no way I could have made it to Wellspring in person. I had all these coping skills and resources that I had developed through the programs, but it was an emotional adjustment for me to be tapping into the caregiver role.” She found the Caregiver Support Group and Yoga Nidra particularly helpful during this time.
When spring arrived and Sean was a bit stronger, Melanie was eager to return to in-person support at Wellspring. “The fact that my husband showed interest in the art class was huge. I would go to the library while he was in his class, and I would get to do something for me, too.” While her husband was in treatment at Sunnybrook one day, Melanie took another selfie in front of Wellspring, to mark another step in her journey. “My life had changed so much since I was the patient,” she shared, “it was hard to believe that Sean was now the patient.”
A couple of months after that photo was taken, Melanie’s husband passed. Three months later, Melanie received a new cancer diagnosis.
Despite all of the challenges life has thrown her way, Melanie continues to persevere. She continues to enjoy running her business in Toronto and spending time with her dog, cat, and two children – who are deeply grateful for the support she’s received as both a patient and caregiver.
Reflecting on her journey and relationship with Wellspring, Melanie shares, “When you’re at Wellspring, it’s a sanctuary of people that are there; it normalizes cancer. You’re not standing out anymore because you’re no longer the only one. You’re amongst many. Wellspring benefited my whole family.”
