Kim’s Story - Living with Joy, After Pancreatic Cancer
When Kim was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world already felt heavy. For her, it became even heavier.
A mother of two and devoted wife, Kim found herself facing one of the most difficult diagnoses - without the comfort of closeness.
Due to strict hospital and home safety restrictions, she couldn’t hug her children or sit by their side. “It was heartbreaking,” she says. “You need your people, and I couldn’t physically be with mine.”
What followed was a blur - chemo, major surgery, more chemo, and constant anxiety. “I kept telling myself to just get through the next thing,” Kim shares.
“There wasn’t room to think too far ahead.”
One of the hardest parts of treatment came quietly but left a deep mark: losing her hair.
Kim had always been known for her vibrant, blonde curls - an unmistakable part of who she was. “When they started falling out, I felt like I lost a part of myself,” she says. “It wasn’t just hair. It was my identity, how people recognized me - and suddenly it was gone.”
The emotional toll of that change was as real as any physical side effect, but Kim met it with the same courage she brought to every step of her journey.
Kim received her treatment at Epworth HealthCare, where she says the care went far beyond medicine. One of the brightest lights during her darkest days was the Jreissati Pancreatic Centre’s pancreatic nurse who offered consistent encouragement, answered questions, and helped Kim feel human in a very clinical world.
“She was incredible,” Kim says. “Just having someone who understood, who listened, who gave me practical advice - made all the difference.”
Now in remission, Kim is living life with a cautious optimism and a grateful heart. She continues with regular check-ups and remains realistic about the road ahead.
“I know it’ll come back,” she says honestly. “But I have to live every day and plan to live well into my 80s. No one can promise you tomorrow.”
Kim credits her entire medical team with not just treating her but walking beside her through the darkest days. “I have such compassion for what they do. Pancreatic cancer is tough - for everyone involved. So, when there’s a win like mine, it deserves to be celebrated.”
She now advocates passionately for more awareness, research, and compassion in the fight against pancreatic cancer. Even now, while sitting in the waiting room for follow-ups, the question Will I still be here? crosses her mind.
But she no longer lets it hold her back. “The statistics don’t define hope,” Kim says. “They don’t reflect love, purpose, or how deeply you want to live.”
Kim’s story is one of quiet strength, deep joy, and a powerful reminder that survivorship is more than a milestone - it’s a way of living.
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