Although they’ve only been married for two years, Joel and Dawn Kievits have been through a lot of emotional ups and downs in that short time.
They celebrated the birth of their first daughter, Lila, in February of 2013, and by December of 2013, found out they were pregnant again. But just a few months after the Kievits found out they’d be welcoming a second child into the world, the young family was dealt some devastating news.
At only 29 years old, Joel would unexpectedly be diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
“I’ll remember that day for the rest of my life,” says Dawn, as she recalls finding out about the diagnosis. Joel says that leading up to the diagnosis, he was actually feeling good, and it was just one symptom that led him to make an appointment with a doctor.
“That was pretty rough,” says Joel, with Dawn adding, “It was a day of a lot of crying and a lot of what-ifs.” The couple was actually planning to celebrate a belated Valentine’s Day together, when Joel received the call from his doctor.
By April of 2014, Joel would be going through his first stint of radiation and chemotherapy treatments. The pair made the trip back and forth from Edmonton repeatedly for appointments and treatments, while trying to keep life as normal as possible for their daughter.
On Aug. 7, Joel would go for his first surgery. An infection caused to him a longer stay in the hospital, and a week after surgery Dawn was induced in the same hospital, and the pair welcomed their second daughter on Aug. 16.
Although it may have been stressful, Joel says it was his wife and kids that helped keep him positive through his treatments and surgery. The pair has also learned that it’s beneficial to keep negative people and situations out of their life, as much as possible.
And even though the diagnosis was a shock to the Kievits and medical professionals, Dawn is clearly hopeful, and sees the past year as one that was “full of blessings.”
She is thankful that Joel has been able to spend so much time with his young daughters while he’s been off work, and friends, family, and the community have supported the Kievits tremendously.
For example, at Christmas, the staff at Xtreme Oilfield Technology raised funds for the Kievits family, while the company matched those funds, to help cover expenses while Joel is going through treatment.
While speaking of the obstacles they’ve had to overcome, Dawn and Joel have clearly decided to face Joel’s medical issues as a team.
“It’s a hurdle we have to overcome . . . but we’ll be fine,” says Dawn. She recalls that one of the first things the pair was told when they visited the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton was that they shouldn’t live as though Joel is sick, but rather, “live like you’re living.”
That mindset has been a key to staying positive, says Dawn. She says that ringing the Bell of Hope at the Cross Cancer after Joel’s first six weeks of treatment was also a moment she will remember – but this time, it was a moment filled with positivity.
Because of his diagnosis at such a young age, it’s hard for doctors to provide an accurate outlook on Joel’s health.
“To me, he’s not sick,” says Dawn, as she watches her husband from across the table. Throughout his chemo and radiation treatments, Joel actually gained weight, and kept a full head of hair. He saw very few side effects from the treatments, which is a good sign.
After a second surgery in November, Joel began another round of treatments in January, but this time the Kievits will be making regular trips to Bonnyville, rather than the two-hour drive to Edmonton, which is a welcomed change.
Throughout the past year, the Kievits say they have learned to enjoy the little blessings in life. They laugh, and make jokes, and although they were close before, the pair has grown even closer.
“We don’t sweat the small stuff anymore, because it doesn’t matter,” says Dawn. She is also happy that her husband has been given the chance to fight.
“I’m proud to be his wife. I’m very proud of him.”
And Joel clearly has similar sentiments toward the women in his life.
“I knew Dawn was going to be there for me, and my kids,” he says.
The Kievits agreed to share their story, not because they want people to feel sorry for them, but because they want to give hope to others going through similar situations.
“We just feel seriously blessed to have every day,” says Dawn,” as she cuddles her youngest daughter close to her.
