Before his diagnosis, Matt Van Engelen’s life was typical — days working, and time spent cooking and hanging out with his wife and son. But after several sleepless nights from intense back pain, his wife, Syd, insisted he go to the hospital. Following a series of tests, doctors delivered life-altering news: Matt had lymphoma.
Treatment began quickly, but the physical toll was soon matched by emotional isolation. “I had been feeling so dejected. I just wanted to speak to someone who had gone through what I was going through,” Matt said. On his social worker’s recommendation, he looked into Wellspring and registered for their lymphoma support group. “Once I got into the group, everyone was so welcoming and warm. It was easy to be vulnerable, which was exactly what I needed.”
After a brief remission, Matt’s lymphoma returned, hitting harder than before. The second round of treatment was gruelling, both physically and emotionally. “I had to stay downstairs most of the time because I was immunocompromised and had a young son who was always playing and collecting germs,” he explained. Being a social person, this was a drastic change for Matt. Fortunately, he still had the Wellspring lymphoma group to lean on.
The toll also began to weigh on his wife, who was now the primary caregiver to Matt and their young son, Davey. Recalling that time, Syd shared, “There wasn’t a lot of room to breathe. My own feelings and health were secondary; my boys came first.” Syd shared that she was thankful that Wellspring was able to provide additional support for Matt in a way that she didn’t always know how.
As his eight-month long-term disability leave neared its end, Matt realized he needed help preparing for post-treatment life. He enrolled in Wellspring’s Return to Work program, which helped him make a plan and establish a routine. “The program taught me how to talk to my insurer, and even how to sit at a desk again for eight hours a day — something you wouldn’t think you’d forget,” he said. “It really helped to practice, and to speak with others who were going through the same thing.”
Matt describes his outlook now as cautiously optimistic. He occasionally still pops into the lymphoma support group to offer assistance to newly diagnosed individuals. Reflecting on the support he received at Wellspring, Matt has a simple message for those thinking of donating: “I say do it. You have no idea how many people you’re going to help.”
