Kim Johnson

I attended this year’s Light the Night walk in remembrance of my sister, reflecting on her 11-year battle and enduring identity as a cancer survivor.

I believe time to be a gift, and as such, my sister was gifted more than a decade despite a terminal illness, and I do have gratitude for that.

I share how my sister’s final days felt different from her many rebounds and how I continue to process the grief of losing her after years of anticipation.

After nearly 11 years of living with Hodgkin lymphoma, my sister Kathleen passed away peacefully at 38, leaving me to navigate the sorrow of losing her.

I reflect on my journey from caregiver to advocate, embracing a future shaped by cancer but no longer defined by it.

Eric Z. cared for my sister and mentored me with compassion, wisdom and unwavering presence — shaping my path in nursing and life.

When my sister experienced nausea and vomiting during her Hodgkin lymphoma treatment, we tried alternatives that seemed to help.

My sister and I have learned to focus on the present day after a rollercoaster ride of remission, a cure and recurrence of stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma.

Through so many cancer scares, I'm trying to live in gratitude that my sister's time is not now.

Cancer-related can be consuming, so my sister and I make sure to celebrate the little victories along the way.

I learned that self-advocacy is not about proving an oncology wrong or deciding that one drug is better than the other. It’s about speaking up for what you think is right.

Cancer-related decisions put strain on relationships between myself and family members.

I can’t imagine not seeing my sister during her blood cancer treatment, but I also struggle to picture the effects of infecting her with COVID-19.

Watching my sister undergo cancer treatment made me want to become a nurse, though after she was re-diagnosed, I’ve had to step away from that career path.

After my sister was re-diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, I was reminded to find laughter in every day because nobody knows what tomorrow holds.

A woman explains how she grapples with the acceptance that her sister may never enter remission from cancer.

A nursing student describes how the day her sister was diagnosed with cancer shaped her world in many ways and caused a domino effect on her life.

A sister of a woman with cancer writes about how the idea of recurrence faded to the back of her mind, but now she must be realistic about the future.

A cancer caregiver explains why the news of a celebrity death due to cancer reminds her that everyone deserves privacy, regardless of their celebrity status.

A woman describes the grueling experience of watching cancer attack her sister's body and wishing she could stop it.

It’s important to discuss treatment options and whether quality or quantity of life is more important for some patients with cancer, says a caregiver.

A woman explains the most painful and emotionally difficult thing to wrap your head around when dealing with cancer – whether it be your own cancer or that of a loved one.

A woman who was the primary caregiver for her sister with cancer writes about how she regrets not utilizing social media to share updates throughout the treatment journey.

Cancer steals away so much from your life. Don’t let it take your happiness, too. A caregiver explains how to make an effort to feel joy, regardless of how bad things are.

A woman explains how pushing her anxiety aside to care for her sister with cancer was not good for her own health. “I wondered about all the other caregivers out there. I wondered if they, too, were suffering in silence because they did not want to draw focus away from the person they were caring for,” she writes.

After enduring cancer, how does one celebrate completing treatments? A woman writes about celebrating all of her sister's successes, no matter how big or small.

A woman writes about the difficulty of her sister’s cancer diagnosis and how it impacted her personal life.

After her sister's cancer recurrence, a woman explains her choice not to assume the caregiver role this time around. "While my sister battles cancer this time, I will be her sister," she writes.

Your cancer story is unique to you, but sometimes the impact of sharing it can change your own perspective on the cancer journey.

No matter how great the support system, care center or caregiver, it's nearly impossible for patients with cancer to fully share their experiences with those that don't understand. Which is why it's so important for patients to find peers to discuss their cancer with.