Kimi thought she had the flu. But after going to urgent care and getting a complete blood count, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Shortly after, her body went into blast crisis, meaning abnormal white blood cells had spread into her tissues and organs beyond the bone marrow. That’s when her doctor told her she needed to go to Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.
“I was terrified, of course, but I can’t describe how walking into Emory made me feel. From the minute I got there, I had an overwhelming feeling of confidence. I believed in them from day one,” Kimi said.
Kimi’s doctors discussed treatment with her. “I know they see so many patients, but they treated me like, ‘We are here for you,’” she recalled. While preparing for a bone marrow transplant called for some of the strongest chemotherapy drugs, Kimi found strength and confidence in knowing she was receiving the best care available.
The transplant was successful, and Kimi’s cancer is now in remission, with no evidence of disease. She now volunteers at Winship, comforting cancer patients as they receive treatment. “Volunteering, for me, is part of healing. There’s physical healing, but there’s a lot of mental and emotional healing that has to come, too,” she said. “I tell them, ‘I know exactly what you’re going through. I was sitting in a chair just like that.’”
