Kim Doan hits a major milestone this year, and she’s planning an adventure to celebrate. “I turn 50 this year, so we’re going on a big trip.”
She and her partner, Wayne, are going on a 14-day cruise with stops in Italy, Spain and France. “We’re going to Rome a few days early to see the Vatican, the Trevi Fountain and some of the iconic sights.”
Kim laughs and calls the trip “bougie” because they opted for a longer cruise so they could experience more. “I’m not saying spend all your money; I’m saying take the time to do things you enjoy while you can.”
From Firefighter to Trainer
Kim lives in Fort McMurray, Alberta, and works for Syncrude, where she was a firefighter and paramedic until beginning short but intensive chemotherapy in 2024.
In 2017, routine bloodwork revealed that Kim had chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a slow-progressing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. It wasn’t until she started to experience symptoms that she needed treatment.
“I was in the best shape of my life right before I went for treatment,” says Kim, explaining how fatigue marked the biggest turning point in her health. “When it was just me running up and down stairs, I was fine, but as soon as I put equipment on, I was done.”
Kim remembers feeling hesitant about staying at Sorrentino’s Compassion House. She was uneasy about the possibility of being sick around others, but she says calling Compassion House home for her month-long stay was the best decision. “It ended up being a wonderful place — it’s quite a little community.”
Since her chemo treatment, Kim’s job has shifted. She now works at the Syncrude Fire Training Centre, in a temporary transitional role training emergency response teams and volunteers. She says this new role keeps her just as busy. “I wear my gear more now than I did when I was working as a firefighter.”
Leisure-Time is Ice Time
Kim spends her leisure time staying active with her passions: hockey and refereeing. She skates four to six times a week and has participated in the past two Arctic Winter Games, as a referee and a referee evaluator.
In the summer, she enjoys golfing and camping, and this year she says she’s excited to get back on the adventure motorbike she bought in 2023. “We have a toy hauler, so we take our motorbikes with us when we go camping. We’ve gone to Kelowna and Vancouver Island — we take day trips on the bikes and head back to the camper at night.”
Fifty Looks Good on Kim
Kim says while her overall approach to life hasn’t changed through her cancer journey, her perspective on day-to-day life has. “I believe that tomorrow is a gift, not a given,” she says, offering advice for those who might be hesitating to reach out to a friend or family member. “If you want to speak to someone, call them. You need to make the effort. Don’t wait for them to call you.”
As Kim looks ahead to her trip to Europe and the summer adventures waiting for her closer to home, she’s feeling pretty relaxed about that half-century milestone.
“I golf all summer, I’m a hockey referee, and I’m still playing hockey at 50. I’m doing OK.”
