Kin Spotlight: Diane K.

Meet Diane K. - Kin guest and Mahjong teacher:

At Kin, Keith and Kristina are always looking for activities that support their guests needs or interests.  One such activity was brought to the attention of Kristina from guest, Diane, saying she would love to teach Mahjong. I had never played the game but was willing to give it a try.  So on a Thursday afternoon, a few weeks ago, in I came to give this game a try! 

Four interested players were joyfully greeted by our teacher, Diane, a happy and bubbly lady who was so excited to share this game with us.  We sat as we watched Diane dump out more than one hundred tiles with funny dots, pretty flowers, dragons of various colors, and so many other colorful images on the table.  We were bit overwhelmed with all the seemingly endless rules, but Diane’s reassuring voice and pleasant manner kept us going.  Her sense of humor was shining through as we moved each tile, trying to remember what it was called and where to put it, then in her laughter she would tell us another rule!  Thanks to Diane’s patience and sweet personality we got though our first game.  She made us feel so great with her encouragement and sweet voice that we all showed up the following week.  In hindsight, I’m not sure if it was the enjoyment of the game or the enjoyment of Diane that keeps me coming back!

I was blessed to have had the opportunity to sit down and get to know Diane a bit better in a conversation we had the other day.  I am happy to share her story with you now.

Diane’s background starts with her move from Philadelphia to the local area, then back to Philadelphia and now again, back to the local area.  She has a lot of friends, loves her neighbors, has two wonderful daughters and two loving granddaughters.  Her granddaughters live nearby and one of them is finishing up her doctorate in Physical Therapy.  She has been a widow for sixteen years and lives alone in a lovely over fifty-five community.  During her employed years, Diane worked at a variety of medical facilities, such as Frankford Hospital and Blue Cross, as a certified pharmacy technician. 

Besides Mahjong Diane loves to read, work on jigsaw puzzles, and she even dabbles in painting.  I had the pleasure of seeing one of her paintings and felt her emotion as I looked at the beautiful colors and strokes while seeing her message of HOPE shine through on the canvas.

Diane’s cancer journey started while she was still working and had some routine blood work done.  When she got her results she saw that her white blood counts were high and her daughter, who is a nurse, suggested she talk to her her family doctor.  Her GP suggested Diane see a hematologist.  On calling the hematologist the receptionist answered, “Hematology and Oncology” and this was a big surprise for her to hear those words.  At the appointment the doctor said to repeat the blood tests in a month but then called Diane back and asked her to come in earlier.  The doctor told Diane she had CML, chronic myeloid leukemia, and it was the “bad” kind.  This, too, was a shock for her.  Following a lot of tests, and making a plan, Diane had accepted what she was hearing.  She was quite happy and comforted that she could be seen right here in Doylestown at Alliance Cancer Specialists and loves her doctor.  The medical plan for Diane would be an oral chemo drug that would cost her well above her available income.  She was thrilled to have found a charitable organization to work along side of her insurance to help cover the cost.  While taking this medication Diane began to have vascular problems, as well as other severe side effects, so she is now on a different medication.  Her current medication also has some sever side effects but less than her previous medication.  Diane will be on her medication for the rest of her life and is overjoyed that the meds are helping her!   Thanks to the support from her daughters, friends, neighbors, her brother, and granddaughters Diane is well taken care of.  Even with all this wonderful support, Diane has not wanted to burden them with her day-to-day issues of her treatment, and it was important for her to talk with others that had CML.  She searched out and found a support group for CML patients and chatting with them has really helped her to get a better understanding of her cancer and side effects. 

Joy in Diane’s journey has come from within her by using her bubbly and sweet-tempered personality to accept her CML diagnosis and her personal strength to know she can handle this.  When she has her tough or down days she thinks of her late husband and his medical trials going through his many heart attacks, “If Harry can do it, I can do it!”  “I also saw my own daughter go through breast cancer and I know everything she went through, all her treatments and surgeries, so I can do this!”  She is motivated by the love and joy she has for her family.  Diane feels joy for all the wonderful and kind people she has met at Kin and feels she has made some delightful friendships.     

Diane sought out Kin.  Diane, indeed, has a marvelous support system, yet she wanted to find a group of people, comrades of sort, who are on a similar path that as she is on.  Living alone, there are times that Diane finds herself lonely.  After meeting Marianne Fenimore, Keith’s mom, and talking to a mutual friend of Marianne’s, Diane learned about the development of Kin.  She felt this was a place for her!  After Kin opened in the Heritage Square building, and seeing a Kin sign posted, Diane realized how close she was to this exciting endeavor for cancer patients.  She called, came in, filled out the paper work and felt immediately a part of this amazing organization.  Diane found a unique “Kinship” at Kin.  She says, “I want to give back the best way I can, and I have loved teaching Mahjong!  I’ve made new friends and all the activities and services keep me moving instead of sitting at home and not being active.  I’m getting out of the house and that keeps me moving!”

“When I walk into Kin I love being greeted by Sunny and all the wonderful people and volunteers.”

I can see Diane smile every time I meet her at Kin, even through her mask I see those smiling eyes and I know it’s going to be a good day for me.  She brightens everyone’s days at Kin!   Diane makes others feel better just by being Diane!  I love how she talks about Kin, “I enter and feel kindness, a true kinship, a peaceful feeling.  Really, when I walk in my body and mind relaxes.  I love getting a cup of tea and chatting.  The place is filled with real warmth and the volunteers are amazing and share such a deep dedication to others.  Even Sunny is dedicated to helping others!  I am able to open the door to Kin, enter, take a deep breath, and feel ahhhh, I’m OK!”

Thanks Diane, for being who you are to yourself and to so many others!  I’ll see you next week for another round of Mahjong!