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<\/p>\nAlthough she credits her first mammogram at the age of 44 for saving her life, finding out she had breast cancer was a devastating blow for Rachel Swiednicki.<\/p>\n
As a mother to an eight-year-old son, not only was she personally grasping her diagnosis, but she had to figure out a way to tell Adler and answer questions he may have. \u201cThe first thing that came to mind after hearing the news was my son and how he was going to handle it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
With the speed at which everything happened, from diagnosis to surgery and treatment, Rachel didn\u2019t have the time to research how to break the news to Adler. Thankfully, a social worker assigned to Rachel\u2019s care team suggested she contact Wellspring and sign up for the Children\u2019s and Parents\u2019 program at Birmingham Gilgan House in Oakville. \u201cWhen I called Wellspring, they gave me advice over the phone on how to tell my son that weekend. They told me lots of helpful tips and key messages, like the importance of using the word \u2018cancer\u2019 instead of \u2018sickness,\u2019 to help normalize it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
While Rachel had some initial hesitations about exposing Adler to her diagnosis, she is glad she took the leap. \u201cYour initial reaction is to protect your child from this information as it\u2019s something you never want them to ever have to worry about, but at the end of the day, children are smart. My son knew something was off. I wasn\u2019t being my usual cheerful self; I was very guarded,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
At first, Adler struggled with the news of Rachel\u2019s cancer diagnosis. He\u2019d worry that his mom would no longer be alive when he came home from school. \u201cHe\u2019d say things to me like, \u2018I don\u2019t want you to die,\u2019 so I\u2019d have to drive to school to pick him up early,\u201d she says. But that all changed when Rachel and Adler walked through Wellspring\u2019s doors.<\/p>\n
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Met with the warm faces of volunteers and staff on a Thursday night, parents and children affected by cancer gathered around the table in Wellspring\u2019s kitchen to share a meal before the program began. They then separated into two groups, where through therapeutic play, games, and crafts, the children developed skills and tools to understand a cancer diagnosis better and learn to express their feelings. The parents met in a separate room to receive parenting support and information specific to cancer. \u00a0\u201cEverybody looked forward to walking through that door because it felt like coming home. We\u2019d all gather around the table and talk about normal life stuff. It was so nice not to worry about what would be for dinner that night. We could sit, relax, and enjoy a meal together. It was like having a night off from our life,\u201d Rachel says.<\/p>\n
Isolation is a common experience for children whose parents have been diagnosed with cancer, with many children feeling like they are going through the journey alone. Wellsprings Children\u2019s and Parents\u2019 program helps to address this through the group-based approach to each session. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of normalcy, healing, and calm about Wellspring. This was so important for my son because he felt isolated and alone. After all, no other kids were going through the same journey as him. At Wellspring, he had other kids to relate to. It taught him that it\u2019s ok to ask questions about cancer, it\u2019s ok to express your feelings and fears,\u201d Rachel says.<\/p>\n
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Over six weeks, each 90-minute session is designed to support children between the ages of five and 12, improving their coping strategies and understanding of cancer while reducing fear and uncertainty. \u201cWe knew every Thursday was a \u2018Wellspring Day,\u2019 and all the kids were so excited about it. It\u2019s weird to say it because you\u2019re going through cancer, but it brought relief during a hard time. It gave my son and me a safe space to talk about cancer with other families who were going through a similar journey,\u201d Rachel says.<\/p>\n
For the parents, meeting in a group setting with a counsellor helped equip them with tools to communicate their diagnosis with their children. \u201cWellspring provided a wealth of information. They prepared me with key messages, things like: this cancer is treatable; I am going to keep on fighting; this is a journey; I\u2019m going to be fatigued and look different for a while\u2026 but all of this doesn\u2019t mean that mommy still can\u2019t be there for you. And if my son has questions, he could ask me anything. For instance, they talk about life before cancer and life after cancer for the kids. One of Adler\u2019s main concerns was, \u2018Who is going to take care of me if something happens to you?\u2019 so I walked him through the plan if something was to happen,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
While Rachel and Adler have completed the Children\u2019s and Parents\u2019 program, they continue to make the most of Wellspring\u2019s free-of-charge services. \u201cI\u2019ve embraced the Wellspring lifestyle because I want to learn everything there is to know and really make the most of the situation because while it isn\u2019t great news, it\u2019s an opportunity. Wellspring helped me see that, and now I definitely don\u2019t feel so alone. I know there\u2019s a place I can go to answer my questions,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n