08/27/2025
Meet Colleen, a Peer Support Volunteer at CancerCare Manitoba
When Colleen was diagnosed with cancer during COVID, support was scarce. “There was minimal support available to patients that were newly diagnosed and going through surgery and treatment,” she recalls. After finishing her own treatment, Colleen found a way to give back: she became a peer support volunteer.
“Becoming part of the peer support group was an opportunity to give back to CancerCare Manitoba, and also to be there for others who were newly diagnosed,” she says. “Having someone who has gone through what you’re going through gives you the support and help that you really need during that time.”
Through her volunteering, Colleen has formed lasting connections, offering encouragement and hope to others when they need it most. She remembers one connection in particular: a fellow woman navigating cancer during COVID. “I know that I have provided her with the emotional support she really needed… and she has been a wonderful support to me. I think we provided a lifeline to each other,” she shares.
Colleen’s message is simple but powerful: “If it’s within you to do it, by all means—it's very rewarding and fulfilling. You’re giving people hope and encouragement, letting them know there’s still a lot of life in front of them.”
