As an oncology nurse, Rebecca has seen many people go through the shock of diagnosis and treatment for cancer. While she was a witness to what many people with cancer experience, she never believed that she would be faced with it herself. In April of 2019, Rebecca went to the doctor for a cough and was told she had bronchitis, but she suspected it was something more. She requested further testing and a CT scan was scheduled. The results showed a lymphoma mass and she was immediately scheduled for a biopsy to test a sample of her tumor. That night, she was admitted into the hospital due to fluid build up around her heart from the size of her tumor. 

She was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia and was admitted on the same floor where she cared for many patients with her same diagnosis. She underwent aggressive chemotherapy and fought cancer for 2 years. Rebecca went into remission in 2021 and continues to work as a nurse on the unit she was treated on. 

Rebecca gave advice for caregivers of people with cancer. She said that sometimes people just need someone to listen to them and are not always looking for an answer. As a nurse myself, Rebecca’s story has inspired me to shift my own approach to care.