{"id":100885,"date":"2026-09-17T03:45:39","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T07:45:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/?p=100885"},"modified":"2026-09-16T14:15:33","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T18:15:33","slug":"utoledo-health-nurse-practitioner-turns-cancer-experience-into-reason-to-give-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/09_17_2026\/utoledo-health-nurse-practitioner-turns-cancer-experience-into-reason-to-give-back","title":{"rendered":"UToledo Health Nurse Practitioner\u00a0Turns Cancer Experience into Reason to Give Back"},"content":{"rendered":"

For 25 years, Kimberly Cole, D.N.P., has cared for patients at UToledo Health, first in outpatient neurology and now as an inpatient stroke nurse practitioner.<\/p>\n

Recently, Cole found herself approaching the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure from the other side of the patient-care relationship.<\/p>\n

\"Kimberly

Now in remission, Kimberly Cole. third from left, will lead the UToledo Health Pink Power Team at the Sept. 27 Komen Race for the Cure in downtown Toledo.<\/p><\/div>\n

After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Cole underwent chemotherapy and radiation at the University of Toledo Medical Center’s Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center. She completed chemotherapy in May and radiation on July 1, and is now in remission.<\/p>\n

The experience gave Cole a firsthand understanding of what it means to navigate cancer treatment and a renewed desire to support others facing the same journey.<\/p>\n

Cole will serve as captain of the UToledo Health Pink Power Team at the 33rd annual Northwest Ohio Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Sunday, Sept. 27, at Hensville Park in downtown Toledo.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been so lucky with my insurance, blessed with people bringing me food when I was out and being able to take the time off,\u201d Cole said. \u201cI had a year of sick time saved up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cole was able to take several months away from work during treatment, but she knew not everyone has the same resources or support.<\/p>\n

When she saw a Komen commercial highlighting the organization’s assistance for people affected by breast cancer, it struck a chord.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt like I really needed to do it just to pay it back,\u201d Cole said. \u201cAnd to be with other women that know what it’s like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her experience at the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center also gave Cole a deeper appreciation for the relationships that develop throughout treatment. She saw the same people during her chemotherapy appointments and was struck by how the staff came to know her.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey knew my name,\u201d Cole said. \u201cThey’d go, \u2018Hi, Kim, how are you?\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n

She has carried that perspective back into her work with hospitalized patients.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve certainly become more compassionate, especially with the hospital patients,\u201d Cole said. \u201cI know that perspective. I know the importance of understanding what’s happening to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Komen uses Race for the Cure funds to support breast cancer research and patient services including education, emotional support, patient navigation and financial assistance.<\/p>\n

The UToledo Health Pink Power Team welcomes employees and supporters to participate. Participants can walk, run or participate virtually.<\/p>\n

Opening ceremonies begin at 9 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, with the 5K beginning at 9:30 a.m. To join the team, visit the Komen Northwest Ohio Race for the Cure registration website<\/a>,<\/a> select \u201cJoin a Team\u201d and search for \u201cUToledo Health.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s just giving back to the world,\u201d Cole said. \u201cAnd trying to make the world a better place.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"Kimberly<\/a>

Now in remission, Kimberly Cole will lead the UToledo Health Pink Power Team at the Sept. 27 Komen Race for the Cure in downtown Toledo.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":932,"featured_media":100886,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[50,58,97,1,7,63],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100885"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/932"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100885"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100885\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":100888,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100885\/revisions\/100888"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/100886"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}