We decided early on that Angela could help with my medical appointments so Johan could continue working. While it feels like your entire world stops for cancer treatment, the bills still need to be paid. Knowing that we had Johan’s income to get us through was a huge relief.

Angela lost her mom to breast cancer, and she taught me how to navigate the treatment process. When I told her I was going for my first appointment with my surgeon, she asked to come along. She knew I needed two sets of ears, and she had practical advice to give along the way at every stage of the treatment process.

She sat with me through chemo, relentlessly watching the clock and changing my cold cap right on time so I wouldn’t lose my hair. She laughed with me in a room that felt eerily somber.

Athletes on both the LPGA and Epson Tours reached out constantly. Dorsey Addicks sold “Kim’s Army” shirts with the proceeds going to the Joan Katz Cancer Resource Center in Ft. Worth.

Members at Shady Oaks Country Club organized a “Stand Up for Kim” event and supported me in ways I’ll never forget. Some days, I’d open my front door and find bags of groceries waiting for us.

I was overwhelmed by the generosity, support and care I received. Some of it came from people I’d never met before — women who had already walked this road and reached out to help guide me through.

I understand now why survivors do that for one another. When someone helps you carry the weight, you want to help carry it for the next person.

And that's a big part of why I’m sharing my story.

I’m a private person. If I weren’t a professional golfer, I probably wouldn’t have written this essay or posted about being diagnosed. But when I had to withdraw from 2024 Q-Series, I knew I had to say something. When I did, I realized there were bigger reasons to share what I was going through.

Women in sports have helped lead the conversation around breast cancer awareness and early detection for decades. On the LPGA, athletes like Kathy Linney, Heather Farr, Val Skinner, Judy Rankin, Jan Stephenson and many others have helped make those important conversations more visible and more human.

Facing Cancer One Shot At a Time

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