Help support the Atkinson family’s fight against cancer

*** Note: If you want to avoid GoFundMe fees and want to send an e-transfer straight to the family please do - you can contact the organizers for their email address - thank you!!! ***

Back in February 2020, just before Covid isolation hit the world, Bill, Hayley, Rebecca and Liah Atkinson received life-changing news: Bill was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma - also known as breast cancer. As stunned, shocked and grief-stricken as they were they jumped headfirst into treatment - chemotherapy, radiation, medications - everything they could possibly do.

It’s now almost the end of 2024 and Bill (with his family by his side) has been fighting for his life, doing everything possible. It has been a heartbreaking journey to watch from the sidelines, but I as an onlooker have been absolutely amazed by the strength and fortitude and grace and humour of the Atkinson family in the midst of such despair and grief and pain and uncertainty. This family is no stranger to health struggles, as Hayley herself has battled kidney disease for over 20 years now. Every day they inspire me and everyone else around them with their resilience and fortitude, their strength and courage in the midst of such great odds.

I cannot even type without tears filling my eyes as I attempt to express what this family means to me and my family, not to mention how much I know they mean to the rest of their family, friends, church and community.

Bill is a good man, one of the best I’ve ever known. He’s one of those men that just quietly gives and helps without question, and without seeking praise or admiration for any of it. He does his acts of kindness in secret, and has always given generously, abundantly and thoughtfully of his time, expertise and resources without question. Through our family’s 15 years of knowing and loving the Atkinsons I have experienced this to be true, over and over again. He would give you the shirt off his back WHILE doing your taxes for you. He is funny and kind and a wonderful father, husband and friend. He makes the best ribs and ginger beer that you will ever taste. He will bore you out of your mind with accounting jargon, and then say something so hilarious that your sides will hurt from laughing. He’s simply the best. (Sorry I said your accounting jargon was boring, Bill).

Bill is wonderfully complimented by his wife, Hayley. If you know Hayley you know that she brings sunshine into every room she enters. She loves without reserve, helps without question, gives without a second thought and has become a second mom to our kids. Somehow in the midst of her grief she has still found a way to bring light and love and joy and humour into the lives of her family, friends and community. In the midst of her grief she has even been writing a blog to keep everyone up to speed - it captures her spirit so well, and I often read it with laughter and tears happening simultaneously. Hayley and Bill together are a force of love and generosity. She is one of the most thoughtful people that the world has seen or will ever see. She annoyingly wins almost every game I have played against her.

I have always found it incredible and inspiring that with all Bill and Hayley have been through over the years with both of their health struggles; for all they have suffered, they continue to laugh and spread joy, they continue to love abundantly and fully, they continue to be hospitable and live out their faith and take care of others. And to top it off they have raised two incredible humans; Rebecca and Liah, who have all the wonderful qualities of their parents plus a few wonderful other ones.

I only have ONE MAJOR PROBLEM with these people, and that is that they are not good at asking for help, or letting others care for them the way they so lovingly care for others. They have finally agreed to this GoFundMe, and friends; they truly need it now more than ever.

Bill needs to be able to stop working and be with his family through what will likely be the final few months of his life. He is still fighting and will keep fighting, but the prognosis is not positive and the doctors have given him months left to live if nothing else works. He and his family have paid tens of thousands of dollars for drugs that “might” work, and their finances have been significantly impacted by this.

Many people have asked how they can help them, and right now, this is how. If you are able to donate to this GoFundMe, this money will go straight to the family to help compensate them for all the medical bills and treatment costs, and help give them a foundation for the future that we hope and pray will give Bill the peace of mind to know that we as his community will do our best to make sure he, his three beautiful ladies and his two boisterous doggo sons will be okay. Plus it will allow him to rest, and focus on his fight against the cancer and on spending time with his family. We hope this will also allow the Atkinsons to see how much they are fiercely loved and appreciated by all of us.

If you can’t afford to give and can only support in prayer, thank you for that - please pray, and pray as hard as you can.

If you would like to read up on their journey and follow along, here’s

Hayley’s wonderful blog.

On behalf of their family, their friends and the community who dearly loves them, thank you so so much for any help and support you are able to give.