When Kathy\u2019s husband Peter was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2009, their lives changed overnight. Like so many families facing cancer, they suddenly found themselves navigating medical appointments, uncertainty, and emotional upheaval.<\/p>\n
Not long after Peter\u2019s diagnosis, a friend told Kathy about Wellspring.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was the best thing we ever could have done,\u201d<\/em> Kathy says.<\/p>\n They joined Wellspring Birmingham Gilgan House in Oakville and quickly became immersed in everything the centre had to offer. Together, they attended Relaxation & Visualization, Nourish, and the Healing Journey, amongst others. Kathy describes the experience of taking the Healing Journey program as transformative.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s something that helps you cope with anything in life, not just cancer,\u201d<\/em> she explains.<\/p>\n Peter, a warm and outgoing former marketing professional, found deep meaning in connecting with others. He became involved in a men\u2019s group and even took on a leadership role that allowed him to support others while feeling purposeful himself.<\/p>\n \u201cWellspring played a very big part in helping Peter live well with cancer,\u201d <\/em>Kathy reflects. \u201cThe coping skills, the meditation, and being with others who truly understood \u2014 all of that mattered.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n What surprised Kathy most was the atmosphere at Wellspring.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019d think it would be sad, because everyone is dealing with cancer in some way. But it isn\u2019t. People were upbeat. There was lightness. You didn\u2019t feel alone.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Peter lived with cancer for two years before passing away in 2011. After his death, Kathy continued her connection with Wellspring in a Bereavement Support Group. This group experience helped her prepare for milestones like holidays and navigate life without her partner.<\/p>\n \u201cThey helped us plan instead of getting blindsided,\u201d<\/em> she says. \u201cAnd our group became friends. I\u2019m still in touch with several people all these years later.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Wellspring also provided counselling for Kathy\u2019s two adult sons, helping support the entire family through their grief.<\/p>\n About a year after Peter passed, Kathy felt ready to give back in a new way. She became a Wellspring volunteer, welcoming members at the front desk, a role she held for nearly nine years.<\/p>\n \u201cI like people,\u201d<\/em> she says simply. \u201cAnd I wanted to give back to a place that had done so much for us.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Kathy also became a Wellspring donor. In lieu of flowers after Peter\u2019s passing, friends made donations to Wellspring in his memory. Since then, Kathy has often requested charitable gifts for birthdays and holidays, and she has chosen to include Wellspring in her will.<\/p>\n Her reasons are deeply personal.<\/p>\n