Chris’ Story:
Living Well Through Cancer, with Support from the Cancer Wellness Centre
Chris is 70 and is an avid horse rider. Since his diagnosis with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma six years ago, he’s continued to find solace on his rides and through the company and services of the Wellness Centre.
Chris’s cancer journey began long before his diagnosis in February 2020. “I’d been going to doctors for five years saying, there’s something wrong with my guts,” he says. Despite repeated tests, nothing was found — until a new GP ordered further investigations. “He said, didn’t you bring someone with you? And that’s when I knew something serious was going on.”
By the time the cancer was identified, it was extensive, affecting Chris’s lymphatic system and wrapping around major organs. He began treatment immediately, starting with an experimental clinical trial. “They said because of my age and my fitness, they could offer me a trial,” Chris recalls. “I said, yeah, no worries — even if it doesn’t help me, it will be able to help someone else.”
Over the following years, Chris experienced multiple recurrences, scans, biopsies, chemotherapy, and further clinical trials. In early 2025, he received a confronting phone call. “They rang me and said I had really aggressive cancer. They planned to harvest my stem cells and bone marrow, and give me very strong chemotherapy,” he says. “Even though they said I couldn’t do any more rides, I snuck another one in.” Following some short -term treatment, by the time Chris returned to start another clinical trial, the cancer was gone. This incredible pattern of cancer recurrence, treatment and being diagnosed cancer free has happened three times. This has made Chris understandably sceptical, but he remains on track with his scans and is a constant presence at the Wellness Centre.
Throughout this long and uncertain journey, the Cancer Wellness Centre became a vital part of how Chris coped — not just physically, but emotionally and socially. “I didn’t come during COVID because everything was shut,” he says, “but once I could, I started coming in and it just felt good to be here.”
Chris regularly uses the centre for Tai Chi, massage, acupuncture and other wellness therapies. “It’s not stressful. It’s just good,” he says. The sense of connection has been just as important as the therapies themselves. “I like the company — there’s always people around. I enjoy entertaining people and cheering them up.”
Understanding how financially draining a cancer diagnosis can be for some people, Chris values the accessibility of the service. “It has cost me absolutely nothing,” he says. “That still blows me away.” Now feeling well and active, he sees the centre as a way to give back, around his regular horse-rides. “I’m just trying to put something back in,” Chris explains. Whether through attending programs, supporting fundraisers, or simply showing up with a calm, reassuring presence, Chris believes the Cancer Wellness Centre plays a crucial role in helping people live well during and beyond cancer.
