Our History
Wellspring was founded in Toronto in 1992 by Anne Armstrong Gibson.
Following a diagnosis of cancer in 1988, Anne experienced an overwhelming sense of isolation. She quickly realized that this was an all-too-common experience among cancer patients, and became determined to fill the void.
With the help of some of the leading experts in the field of oncology, Anne worked with family, friends and supporters to establish Wellspring, a non-profit organization offering psychological, emotional, social, spiritual and informational support to individuals and families living with cancer. Anne’s vision for Wellspring was to create a Canada-wide network of community-based centres that would provide people with the tools they required to cope with cancer, all at no charge to the individual.
In 1992, Wellspring opened its first centre, The Coach House, on Wellesley Street East in Toronto. In 1999, Wellspring launched its second centre, in north Toronto, on the campus of Sunnybrook & Women’s College Health Sciences Centre. Although Anne died in 1995, her vision still guides the organization’s growing network, a network that now serves individuals and families living with cancer across Canada.
In keeping with Anne’s vision, Wellspring continues to provide an innovative and creative approach to the overall care of the whole person, with the aim of improving quality of life. It is a cooperative, community effort, based on the needs of patients and their loved ones, and the approach is designed to complement any medical treatments patients may be undergoing.