Jackie’s journey with cancer began in 2021 with a diagnosis that shook her world—but not her spirit. “At first, I was shocked. But something in me said, ‘You have to do this. Be strong,’” she recalls. From her home on the South Side of Chicago, Jackie faced each stage of her breast cancer treatment with a quiet determination, fueled by her faith, her family, and the love of her husband, Todd—and their 12-year-old rescue dog, Bella.
Though treatments left her physically drained and emotionally raw, Jackie knew she needed more than medicine to heal. Her doctor encouraged her to “keep moving,” and it was through pamphlets at the cancer center that she discovered Wellness House. “I was looking for something to help me stay strong,” she says. “And I found it.”
At first, she was quiet, uncertain. But soon, Wellness House became her second home. From yoga and therapeutic sound bowls to nutrition and art classes, Jackie embraced it all. “I started out going with my crackers and ginger ale, just trying to get through the day. But now I go because I love it. It’s helping me live.”
The community she found became a lifeline. “Everyone is so kind. I’d walk in and they’d say, ‘Hi Jackie!’ It made me feel like I belonged.” Over time, she became a guide for others—offering encouragement to new participants, answering questions, and gently helping them take that first brave step.
Through laughter, learning, and even tears, Jackie has discovered new strength. “I’ve met people who are so strong. And I’ve learned that I am, too. You never think you’ll look at a cloud and say, ‘That’s beautiful,’ because life moves so fast. But now I stop and notice.”
Jackie often thinks of a flower she planted at her grandmother’s grave—one that somehow stood tall through a brutal winter. “That flower reminds me I can keep blooming, even through life’s harshest seasons.”
With each class, each conversation, and each act of care, Jackie continues to bloom. “This is my new normal,” she says. “And Wellness House is helping me live it with hope.”
Jackie – Participant
