How TikTok Helped One Cancer Survivor Find Connection and Community

In early 2020, 24-year-old Nina Luker was completely blindsided by lymphoma. The stage 4 diagnosis, in her words, felt like a “death sentence.” But while powering through treatments in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, Luker turned to social media to document and share her experience in a raw and unrehearsed way – and soon gained nearly 200,000 followers on TikTok, who identified with her situation and cheered her on at every step of the way.

Now officially cancer free, Luker joined us on the “CURE Talks Cancer” podcast to talk about her cancer journey, her work with the Lymphoma Research Foundation, and offer advice to those who may have recently received a diagnosis of their own.

Most notably, cancer has put her life into perspective, and helped her learn how to appreciate the little things. “If I could go back and change my life, I would keep cancer in the mix,” Luker said. “I would keep it because who I have become since that is a person who is more aware of what brings them joy, is more able to see the simple pleasures in life, and to treat people with the utmost respect because you don't know what they're going through.”

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.