An Abbotsford student is among the 15 Canadians chosen for a 2023 Terry Fox Humanitarian Award.
In 2021, Sasha Wessels was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic Ewing sarcoma in her left pelvis bone and lungs. She faced a bleak prognosis. Wessels is now in remission after many cycles of intense chemotherapy, numerous proton and photon radiation sessions and a life-altering surgery.
During her cancer treatments, Wessels completed school courses online and she even continued volunteering. She has created a social media presence to help teen patients get through treatment.
Wessels continued to serve her community through Girl Guides, Key Club, and her school’s leadership program. In April 2023, she attended the Global Student Leadership Summit in London, Ont., where she learned skills that will benefit her school’s leadership program.
“My cancer took many things away, but it would not take my hope,” Wessels said. “This past summer, I was officially announced to be in remission, and I couldn’t be happier. I have always felt that one of my greatest strengths has been my ability to see the silver lining in difficult situations. Cancer has changed my entire outlook and perspective on my life and how I want to live it. I feel as though I have had blinders on to the real world until now, and I am ecstatic that they have been removed. This realization relates to a profound connection I feel towards Terry Fox.”
Wessels plans to study political science at UBC.
The Terry Fox Humanitarian Award was established in 1982 to honour and advance the humanitarian legacy of Terry Fox – one of Canada’s most recognized heroes. The scholarship hopes to encourage young Canadians to seek the high ideals which Terry Fox aspired to through the pursuit of higher education. To see a full list of award recipients, visit terryfoxawards.ca.