Barrie was always healthy. That’s why it was such a shock when a hug from a friend broke his collarbone. Months later, lifting a light chair caused a fracture in his vertebrae. His back and rib cage were slowly consumed with pain.

After months of discomfort his doctor directed him to the University of Alberta Emergency ward. It was there he heard the words nobody ever wants to hear: “Mr. Stafford, I have bad news…there’s a high percentage chance you have bone cancer”.

 In the uncertainty, his wife turned to him and asked “what am I going to do if you don’t get out of here?” He’d come face-to-face with his mortality and couldn’t answer her question. “I didn’t know if I was going to live or die”.

After a difficult week in hospital, Dr. Sandhu introduced himself. “He told me I had Multiple Myeloma but he also said ‘I think I can help you’. That was the best thing I’d heard”.

After months of treatment and a stem-cell transplant he was released from the Cross Cancer Institute. He had no appetite and was scary thin. After about four months he began to feel human again. His rehab started with short daily walks, and eating the only thing he could stomach: his wife’s home-made grilled cheese sandwiches.

Today Barrie is nine years post-transplant, on a chemo maintenance program, and still in remission. “I feel like my foot is on the head of a snake…I really don’t know when it’s going to strike…but I’m a very lucky guy”. Currently, there is no cure for Multiple Myeloma.

Barrie is retired after 38 years with the Edmonton Oilers. He’s spending his time with his wife of 24 years and dedicating a lot of time to the Cure Cancer Foundation, trying to help other cancer patients. He and co-chair Brian Anstice, a fellow Multiple Myeloma patient, established the Toast of the Town event to raise money to help fund a cure. “We really want to bring awareness to the great work the Cross Cancer Institute is doing. The doctors, the researchers, every one is really doing incredible work and we’re making huge progress.”