Cancer is a disease that can be extremely taboo. It is also a topic everyone hears about from time to time. According to the NCBI, it is predicted that in 2018, 1,735,350 cases of cancer are to occur, and 609,640 people will pass away from cancer.

Katie Klostermann, an English teacher at Air Academy, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in December of 2017, a mere five days after she was engaged to her spouse.

“It was completely surreal,” she said. When Klostermann was diagnosed, even when she was in her hospital bed, she stated that she was in disbelief.

She was stranded, ill in her home. It was the kryptonite to her extroverted and warm personality.

“It was very lonely and I had to stay inside.”

Klostermann also got annoyed with the stereotypical and remorseful apologies and wishes from visitors (but appreciated them nonetheless). She wanted people to “talk to her like a normal person.” She just wanted to have a regular conversation to forget about her condition.

“Talk to me about, like, the Super Bowl! Talk to me about, like, politics… I don’t wanna hear ‘I’m so sorry, you’re so strong’ a hundred times!”

Klostermann has also learned some valuable life lessons that all can learn from and live by.

“We’re stronger than we think we are.” 

She believes that people should try to find inspiration in everyday things, like movies, and also learn to appreciate everything that life offers.

Because she loves her job so much, it was difficult for Klostermann to be away from her students and her classroom. One of the things she missed the most was learning about the lives of her students, talking to them and being involved. She is truly excited and passionate about teaching and interacting with her pupils and would never want to do anything else.

“I know it’s gonna be generic, but it’s what I would say: if you don’t feel it and you don’t know where the support is coming from, [know that] there’s always gonna be support for you, even if you don’t know [where it’s from]. Like teachers I don’t know, the church, neighbors I have never talked [to],” says Klostermann of her experience.

Thankfully for Klostermann and her students, she’s now healthy and cancer-free. In addition, she states that being back at her job gives her so much energy. However, her experience is a lesson everyone can learn from.

Klostermann is more appreciative and ecstatic than ever to be back to teaching and uses her experience with cancer to remind her of how enjoyable and amazing life is.

All she has to say in the end is, “It sucks, but it’s over, and now life’s awesome again.”

As a bonus question, when asked about how she felt looking like Ellen Degeneres, she responded: “Pretty friggin psyched! I promise I won’t ever prank you guys [like] she does.”