A Reason to Celebrate: John Stebner's Story

I thought I was coming down with the flu.

It was a Thursday in January 2008, and my family and I were heading out the next day to go skiing in Alberta. I didn’t feel well, so I went to see my doctor. He ordered a blood test which showed I had a very low platelet count. That day I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL).

Our trip was cancelled and I was immediately admitted to the Acute Leukemia / Blood Marrow Transplant / Oncology Unit on the 6th Floor of HSC (GD6) at Health Sciences Centre for treatment. I was there for the next five weeks, and then again a few months later.

My leukemia affected my whole family. It wasn’t just my disease; we all suffered. My wife Bev and my children Erin and Jordan were constantly by my side while I was ill. It was very hard on the whole family.

The chemotherapy affected my ability to think clearly so my wife documented everything, from blood counts to what the doctor said. She wrote everything in a journal, every day. She took time off work to be my caregiver; a task I couldn’t fully appreciate until I began to recover.

My daughter, a genetics student in Toronto, wrote an exam on leukemia on the day I was admitted. She now had a real-life case to study in her father. She flew in every month and even took her practicum at HSC to be close to us.

While I was at HSC, the staff on GD6 where I was being treated were unbelievable and incredibly knowledgeable. When we asked questions we got answers. I appreciated having good service from the nurses and doctors when I was ill. I hear people commenting on how great the staff is all the time; they make sure you are well looked after.

I underwent a stem cell transplant on June 13, 2008. I was fortunate; I had a donor that was an identical match – my twin brother Frank.

The leukemia has been an ordeal for the whole family – and now, with that one year anniversary just around the corner, it’s time to celebrate.

They say it takes a year for your body to fully integrate the new stem cells. After that, you will know that your body has fully accepted the stem cell transplant you received, and that healing is underway.

To mark the journey of healing our family has taken, and to celebrate the anniversary of my transplant, we’re having a great big party. We’ve invited friends and family to celebrate with us by making a gift to the HSC Foundation, in support of The Hope Project to revitalize GD6, the leukemia treatment unit at the Health Sciences Centre where I spent so many weeks in this past year.

Our family will match whatever they give – I know every dollar will make a difference.

After all, it’s not just my celebration. It’s a celebration for my whole family. With the help of the extraordinary staff at the HSC, we made it through. We plan to celebrate this day for many years to come.