Brother’s cancer journey inspires NDSU student’s career path

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – The month of September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and one local family is going above and beyond to support the disease and those who have it.

Colin Richards, of Glenwood, MN, was just a junior in college when he was first diagnosed with two types of cancer. Within months, Stage 4 Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkins lymphoma quickly took over his body.

“I’ve had a full bone marrow transplant, and a CAR T-cell transplant. Our other sister is actually who I received the bone marrow from,” Colin said.

Very close with his siblings, Richards navigated new life dealing with cancer for years, which is something his sister, Olivia, took very seriously.

She said, “I knew after my brother’s experience, I wanted to pursue being a child life specialist.”

Olivia attends NDSU, and is now completing a practicum at Sanford – the place where she supported her brother during several rounds of treatment.

“I was taught so many lessons from my brother’s experience, I learned so much just being in the hospital with him. The whole thing has made me really appreciate life so much more,” she added.

Appreciating the opportunity to be able to work with kids of all ages, Sanford’s Pediatric Oncology Unit sees patients well into their 20′s, much like Colin.

Hannah Osborne is an RN Nurse Navigator at Sanford, and explained patients are sent to different units based off of the type of cancer they have. “If it’s an adult type of cancer, then they will go to the adult oncologist, but if it’s a pediatric cancer, which usually occurs aroud that age, they will still come to us.”

This doesn’t mean older patients have to play with adolescent or child-like toys like one would think. Colin originally had to drop out of college as a result of his diagnosis, but was able to re-enroll and complete his schoolwork from the hospital, where he then later graduated from Concordia College.

Spending so much time at the hospital, Colin said the employees have almost become like a second family to him.

“Between the child life specialists, the nurses, and the doctors, they kind of became my family at that point, I mean, I spent so much time in the hospital!” he expressed.

The only difference now – is the ability to see both of his families in the hospital.

“The lives my sister Olivia is going to change just because she went through what happened with me is just really impressive and important. I think it’s a no-brainer for her to take a job in this field and I couldn’t be happier for her,” Colin said.

Hoping to change lives for the better – just like her brother’s.

Olivia said she still has to complete this practicum, start an internship, and take the Child Life Certification Exam before she can begin working in the Peds Unit full-time.

Currently in remission and working as a Financial Advisor, Colin said this entire journey has made his family even closer than they were before.

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