The Healing Benefits of the Wellness Program at MUHC
A cancer diagnosis is devastating and knowing that we have the resources to reclaim our health is invaluable. Knowing that we now have the means to heal, long after the surgery and/or other treatments is a great gift to every patient’s life. It offers renewed hope and resilience to face the future. This is what the MUHC’s Wellness Program offers.
As the editor of Pink in the City magazine, I’ve been touched beyond words by the stories I’ve heard from survivors. As a sister, daughter, grand-daughter, niece, friend of breast cancer survivors I have witnessed the ripple effects of breast cancer and I am dedicated to honouring each story.
For Debra, a breast cancer survivor, the word resilience defines her journey.
My name is Debra and I just turned 63 years old. I am a mother to five daughters and have two young grandsons. My breast cancer diagnosis took me by surprise in January 2021 after a routine mammogram. I believed that because I nursed my children, I had a natural protection against breast cancer ever developing. No one is immune to breast cancer. I had surgery in March 2021.
We’ve all lost friends and family to breast cancer. It was hard to hide my fears from my husband and family. The Wellness Program demystified what I was about to face. I met women on zoom that were in different phases of treatment, and the questions they asked to the oncology professionals in the zoom sessions were very helpful and encouraging. My husband sat in on all the zoom meetings because he wanted to understand for himself how our life would change. He was used to me being a bit of a supermom: I was significant caregiver to my mother who resides in an assisted-living senior’s residence in our neighborhood, I ran my own small business gardening for seniors, I did all the groceries and cooking, I babysat our grandkids, and helped our daughter’s families out with chores like painting and landscaping. The Wellness program gave us both the confidence and positive attitude to face each step of my breast cancer journey with courage.
Organizations like Pink In The City are to be commended for supporting the Cedar Breast Clinic’s Wellness Program because it helps not only breast cancer patients, but helps all those whose lives we touch as cancer patients. Our lives don’t stop just because we have cancer. We go on caring for our loved ones, maintaining our friendships, helping and caring for those in need who can’t help themselves. An inspirational word that comes to mind is resilient. The Wellness Program equipped me with the information and support I needed to build the resilience needed to go through a breast cancer journey and to continue being the wife, mother, daughter, and friend to those I love in light of my healing and treatment limitations.
I was also able to pass along much of the useful information to other newly diagnosed women, and that helped them face the future with less fear and more confidence. Women helping women – that’s what you support. Pink In The City helps us unite as women who need support and information and courage. Thank you. Merci.
Sincerely,
Debra M.