Sandra Gabriel’s life before cancer was busy and full. A devoted wife and mother to two children, a 15-year-old son and a 12-year-old daughter, she balanced family life with a rewarding full-time career as a relationship manager in the financial services industry.
“I was always on the go,” she recalls. “Work was busy, the kids were busy – I was tired, but I just thought that’s what life looks like.”
Looking back, Sandra now realizes that some of the symptoms she experienced were early warning signs. “They brushed things off as perimenopause,” she says. “I just kept going.”
In January 2025, everything changed suddenly. After weeks of worsening symptoms, Sandra ended up in the emergency department, where a scan revealed a mass in her colon. Further testing confirmed that the cancer had already spread to her liver and lungs. She was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.
Within two weeks, Sandra underwent major surgery. What followed was a whirlwind of treatments, hospital stays, and difficult news. While chemotherapy initially worked to shrink tumors and surgery successfully removed cancer from her colon and liver, the disease proved aggressive.
“Six months later, I had eight new tumors in my liver,” she says. “That was a really hard moment.”
Today, Sandra lives with cancer as a chronic condition where she continues treatment.
Finding Wellspring – and Strength
Sandra had heard about Wellspring long before her diagnosis. Years earlier, she had even volunteered. So, when her doctor and care team suggested it, she knew where to turn.
Still, taking that first step wasn’t easy. “I’ll be honest – I didn’t want to go,” she says. “Going meant admitting I had cancer and needed help.”
Encouraged by her doctor and her husband, Sandra eventually decided to try Wellspring’s Cancer Exercise Program at its Birmingham Gilgan House in Oakville.
“I was terrified,” she admits. But the experience quickly changed her perspective.
“The team is incredible,” she says. “They meet you exactly where you are. They adjust everything based on how you’re feeling that day. You feel safe, supported, and understood.”
For Sandra, the benefits went beyond physical strength. “It gives you structure. It gets you out of the house. And when you don’t feel like going, you go anyway – and you always feel better after.”
What began as a hesitant commitment has become an essential part of her routine. “Now, if I don’t go, I feel like I’ve let myself down,” she says. “It’s something I do for me.”
The Power of Connection
One of the most unexpected and meaningful aspects of Wellspring for Sandra has been the sense of connection. “I didn’t think I needed that,” she admits. “I have amazing family and friends. But it’s different when you’re with people who truly understand what you’re going through.”
Through the program, Sandra has met others living with cancer – including two women with the same diagnosis. “We share experiences, we encourage each other, we check in,” she says. “Even if our situations are different, there’s this understanding you don’t have to explain.”
These connections have brought both comfort and encouragement. “Some days are really hard,” Sandra says. “But being around people who say, ‘You’ve got this – you’ll get through today,’ it makes a difference.”
A New Perspective on Life
Cancer has changed Sandra’s life in profound ways – some painful, others unexpectedly meaningful.
“Some days, I think it’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to me,” she says honestly. “And other days, I see it as a gift. It makes you reflect. It makes you re-evaluate everything.”
One of the biggest changes has been time – something that once felt scarce is now deeply cherished. “I used to be rushing all the time,” she says. “Now I’m home more, and my kids say to me, ‘Mom, I love you being home – you’re so fun now.’ That really stayed with me.”
A Message to Others
For anyone hesitant about reaching out for support, Sandra’s advice is simple: “You have to try,” she says. “I’m the perfect example. I didn’t think it was for me – but it’s helped me so much.”
“It’s incredible that Wellspring exists, and that it’s free,” she says. “This gives people a place to go, people to connect with, and something to hold onto.”