Up For Air
Five years ago, Ian was staring down a diagnosis that would rattle anyone to the core: an aggressive form of skin cancer. It didn’t stay put. It spread to his lungs. And in the thick of it all, he got the news on speakerphone, driving home from a business trip, his boss sitting silently in the passenger seat. Dazed. Confused. Changed, in an instant.
For Ian, that first treatment offered a glimmer of possibility, and that was enough. “I thought, I can actually beat this,” he recalls. And through immunotherapy, setbacks, and fear, he had Marci: his wife, his encourager, his anchor. She was there for every appointment, every tear. Her reminder was simple:
“You have something worth fighting for.”
Now five years out, and the news has stayed steady. No new growth. No urgent appointments. Just a life that feels more like their own again.
Marci and Ian don’t take life for granted.
“Getting up on the right side of the ground every day: that brings me joy.”
These days, there’s more laughter, more passport stamps, more why nots. “I feel like Jim Carrey in Yes Man,” Marci says. “I value experiences over stuff.”
In his free time, Ian prefers the essentials: a hot tub, good company, and the occasional deep dive, literally.
The seriousness of skin cancer hasn’t left them. “People don’t always realize it can metastasize and invade your organs,” Ian says. “But it’s also very treatable if you catch it early. If in doubt, get it checked out.”
Caught early, melanoma is highly treatable. Check your skin regularly for the ABCDEs:
Anything new, changing or worrying? Get it checked.
Sun smart: a wide-brimmed hat, clothing that covers your skin, and sunscreen that is SPF 30 or higher, broad spectrum and water resistant, reapplied every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating.
Sources: Canadian Cancer Society; Canadian Dermatology Association; Government of Canada. Checked October 2026.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Canada
Sources:
Canadian Cancer SocietyGovernment of Canadapeople diagnosed with melanoma in Canada live at least five years
Sources:
Canadian Cancer SocietySave Your Skin FoundationUV Index: protect your skin, often 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., April to September
Sources:
Government of CanadaMiddlesex-London Health Unitbroad spectrum, water resistant, reapplied every 2 hours
Sources:
Canadian Dermatology AssociationGovernment of CanadaViewer discretion. Ian wanted to share these two photos from his skin cancer surgery and treatment: an open wound on the side of his head, and a bruised, bleeding eye. He’s sharing them because skin cancer can be far more serious than many people think.
They raised their kids in Citadel, in a home that saw full calendars, busy mornings, and the kind of daily chaos that comes with growing a family. A few years ago, they downsized and made the move to Royal Oak.
Royal Oak offered what they were looking for: quiet streets, good walking paths, and easy access to the mountains, the city, and their favourite local spots.
They both speak of the community with a kind of fondness that’s hard to miss. Marci enjoys the walking trails around the lagoon. Ian loves how close everything is. “There’s a path over Crowchild that connects us with Marci’s brother in Tuscany,” Ian says.
Ian is retired now. Marci works from home for the Quality Department at Alberta Precision Laboratories.
While Ian was battling cancer, Marci was navigating another heartbreak: her father’s dementia diagnosis. “Providing support to both my husband and my parents as we each walked similar, yet very different paths (during COVID, no less), grieving what was lost and trying hard to hold onto hope… it took a lot of strength,” she says. “Although I’m still walking that path with my parents, I’m so grateful for Ian’s current state of health. I look back sometimes and wonder how I did it all.”
People in Canada care for a family member or friend with a long-term health condition
Sources:
Statistics CanadaNational Seniors Council, Government of CanadaShe credits kindness. Grit. And a sense of humour that people don’t always see coming.
“I look sweet,” she laughs, “but I’m super competitive.”
That’s how her friends describe her, too: like throw-yourself-on-the-ground-to-stop-a-goal competitive. Fierce, in the best possible way.
When asked what they hope people take from their story, the answer is as grounded as they are:
“There’s always hope. The advancements in medicine over the last 10–15 years are why Ian is alive today. Don’t take life for granted.”
Marci lives by a quiet code: “Be kind always, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”
It’s more than a phrase. It’s how they move through the world now. With intention. With warmth.
“When we’re not travelling,” he says, “you’ll usually find me in the backyard, inviting the neighbours over for a bevvie.”
Marci’s usually on the move: walking the neighbourhood trails, hiking in the mountains, lifting at the gym, or getting lost in a good book.
That’s the rhythm of life here. They don’t just live in Royal Oak. They’re living here.
Update, October 2026: Since this story first ran in the May–June 2025 issue, Ian has come through open-heart surgery, and he’s doing great.
Text: Up For Air
