Kouichi Shirayanagi shared their story at the 2025 Stupid Cancer NYC Storytelling Open Mic Event in NYC.

Kouichi shares his incredible story of being diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin’s lymphoma and how he turned the negative experience into a positive one. He was motivated by his son to keep pushing through the difficult times he faced during active chemotherapy treatment. He speaks about the intricate details of chemotherapy that stuck with him, caused him to struggle, and that he continues to reflect on to this day. He also discusses comparison—how, despite feeling grateful for the type of cancer he had, he still experiences a sense of survivor’s guilt. His positive outlook on life is truly inspiring and motivating to the greater cancer community.

“When I got my cancer diagnosis, I knew that I wanted to be involved and I wanted to not just survive cancer, but make a meaningful impact on the world after I had this experience”