30 years of horizon

Hello!

My name is Madeline Pillipow, and I’m currently 23 years old. My journey with On the Tip of the Toes began back in 2016 when I was just 15. I had recently moved to Calgary to start Grade 10 when a persistent cough completely derailed my high school plans.

After about three months of coughing and several misdiagnoses of pneumonia, some ineffective antibiotics, and many sleepless nights, my mom took me to the Alberta Children’s Hospital emergency department. She told them we wouldn’t leave until they figured out what was really going on. Initially, they also thought it was pneumonia and scheduled me to come back the next day for IV antibiotics. But when I arrived at the infectious disease clinic, the doctors there decided to dig deeper — they too suspected something more serious.

Long story short: I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. After six months of chemotherapy and some radiation, I was declared in remission — but not for long. Just three weeks later, I relapsed. This time, the cancer was more resistant to treatment, and I felt defeated. I was devastated, isolated, and heartbroken over the life I once had.

Eventually, I received a stem cell transplant from my older brother, who was a perfect match. That was followed by one month in the hospital (75% of which I spent asleep), three months in full isolation, and six months in partial isolation. After all that, I thought I was ready to rejoin the world — but I quickly realized that cancer had taken more than just a physical toll.

My body and mental health were completely worn down. I tried to return to life as a regular teenager, but I constantly felt like I was either falling behind or trying too hard. I didn’t know where I fit anymore. I wanted to reconnect with my friends, play basketball, perform in school plays — to just be normal.

That’s when I got involved with Kids Cancer Care, and through them, I found a pamphlet for On the Tip of the Toes expeditions. The idea of being in nature, camping with other teens who had also experienced cancer, felt like a lifeline. I loved being outdoors, so I signed up for my first expedition.

I don’t even have the words to describe the mental transformation I went through on that trip. I did things I never imagined I could — camping in the middle of one of the wildest wind and rain storms I’ve ever seen, canoeing across lakes, starting fires without lighters, and most importantly, opening up emotionally to people who truly understood what life with (and after) cancer is like. It was empowering. I became more confident. I started reaching out instead of always trying to handle everything on my own. I learned that it’s okay to lean on others — that being independent doesn’t mean doing everything alone.

My second expedition was the Grand Expedition in Summer 2019, right after I finished high school. I approached this trip with a different mindset: I wanted to challenge myself physically. During recovery, I developed peripheral neuropathy, which came with many challenges. My metabolism slowed, my muscle mass declined, and my confidence took a hit. On this longer trip, I pushed my body whenever I could — and somewhere along the way, I learned that confidence doesn’t come from how fit you are, but from who you are inside. That lesson has stayed with me ever since.

These trips were truly foundational in both my physical and mental recovery. I hold On the Tip of the Toes, Catherine, Marie-Michelle, and everyone involved, in the highest regard. I would not be the person I am today without the experiences you gave me.

Today, I’m proud to say I’m a graduate of the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology. I just finished my first year of Nursing School (who would’ve guessed?). I’m also a personal trainer at F45 in Marda Loop, where I share my story to inspire and motivate others. Most importantly, I’m happy — not because I’ve returned to who I was, but because I’ve become someone I never even imagined I could be.

Thank you for being part of that journey.