Part 1: When Cancer Changes Everything: Lessons from a TNBC Survivor and Veteran

In this episode of Our BC Life, I sit down with the vibrant and resilient Kim Rumpf, an orthopedic registered nurse, a 23-year veteran of the Air National Guard, and a triple-negative breast cancer survivor. Kim opens up about her life before cancer, serving in the military, and the surprise discovery that her family history of breast cancer was on her father’s side.

We talk about what it means to come through treatment and still feel changed mentally, emotionally, and physically. Kim shares candidly about her struggles with fatigue, depression, and anger, and how counseling gave her the tools to process those feelings. Together, we reflect on the reality that, much like deployment, cancer leaves you forever different. Kim reminds us that while the dark times are real, therapy, community, and humor can help carry you through.

This episode is part one of our conversation, so stay tuned, because Kim’s husband, CJ, her biggest supporter, will join us next time to share what survivorship looks like through the eyes of a co-survivor, and we will discuss their fertility struggles before and post breast cancer. 

Thank you for listening to our bite-sized discussion today. This episode was produced by the host, Megan-Claire Chase, our executive producer, Christine Benjamin, Vice President of Patient Support and Education at SHARE Cancer Support, and special thanks to program assistant Miranda Gonzales.

Thanks to Konner Kienzle for composing the original music and to Sydney Schmidt for the Graphic design of our logo and brand. For more information about upcoming webinars, support groups, and our helpline, visit sharecancersupport.org.

New episodes drop monthly, so make sure to like and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode and catch up on previous ones! Until then, thanks for listening to Our BC Life.