Nine years ago, Lorraine Carefoot was diagnosed with cancer in her right lung, a shock to her since she had never smoked a day in her life. Since then she has undergone surgery and chemotherapy, dealt with treatment-related infections, and faced a recurrence in her left lung.
When Lorraine first looked at a pamphlet about Carpenter’s Wellness Program, she read it and put it aside with no desire to pursue it. Upon the insistence of her social worker at the cancer hospital, Lorraine booked her first appointment with Wellness Program Coordinator Charlene Cheng.
“I sat with Charlene for an hour and told her my history,” said Lorraine. “She listened, and suggested different therapies I could try.”
Since participating in the program’s restorative yoga and Reiki sessions, Lorraine has come out of her shell.
“I’ve always kept my feelings inside,” said Lorraine. “I never cried. Then during my first Reiki session, I just started crying. Since then, I’ve become more open. I talk to people more, my neighbours, my siblings.”
Lorraine also attends the weekly Wellness socials with other participants who share a cancer diagnosis or a life-limiting illness. She remarked, “No matter whose sitting beside you, they know what you’re going through. And they’re able to give you that little extra strength they’ve got to support you.”