EDMONTON – Colin and Cheryl Pilipchuk have been through a lot since meeting on a dance floor six New Year’s Eves ago.
Since then, Colin – a Grade 2 teacher – has been diagnosed with testicular cancer three times. The most recent diagnosis came last August – just weeks after the birth of the couple’s twin boys.
“I was so mad for him,” his wife said. “Because he wanted this is so bad, and he’s not there for all the joys right now. Just mad, you know. ‘Cause he’s such a great father – he’s changing diapers, he’s up all night. And then to have this come back, it was hard.”
Then at the end of October, things took another turn for the worse when the 37-year-old suffered a massive stroke.
“All I was told is it’s a major, major stroke and not to get too optimistic that much of his comprehension or expression would come back,” Cheryl said.
The new mother is studying to become a teacher, and in order to remain in her program, she had to keep attending her classes, while still taking care of her two baby boys and being there for her husband.
But thanks to the kindness and generosity of friends and complete strangers, she hasn’t had to do it alone.
“I’d have a breakdown by now if I didn’t get the support I got from everyone. Colin’s school – they pray for him…some of his colleagues have come over and have babysat the kids. Some people are sleeping over the night so that I can get sleep so that, you know, I can go see Colin and be with the boys during the day.”
Cheryl says people have been bringing food and baby clothes, offering to shovel her walk and to clean her home.
“I had a woman who I’ve never met before come over with her twins and babysit my kids…she said, ‘I don’t know your story, I don’t even know what’s going on, but I just heard that you needed help.’”
An online fundraiser started by one of the couple’s friends just over a week ago has generated, so far, more than $28,000 in donations, easing some of Cheryl’s financial worries.
Twelve-year-old Joshua Fetter and his 10-year-old sister Jillian, who know Mr. Pilipchuk as a teacher, have pooled together their allowances to give $95.
Joshua said he knows parking at the hospital isn’t cheap.
According to Cheryl, who visits her husband twice a day, his positivity is helping with his recovery.
“He was paralyzed on the right side and could only say ‘ok,’ but since then he has made remarkable improvements. He, now today, can walk, he’s doing physio but it looks like his right side is coming back. He, now, can write with his right hand,” she said.
“Yesterday he was able to say his ABCs, but he couldn’t recognize letters on paper…he’s working at it.”
While Cheryl doesn’t know how long Colin’s road to recovery will be, especially since another chemotherapy treatment awaits him, she’s just grateful for everyone’s help.
“I’ve felt the warmth and the love of people around me that I don’t even know…people are there for each other. Sometimes we forget that.”
With files from Laurel Clark, Global News
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