One Day to Remember is a treasured gift for families of people with cancer

Abby Kirkland
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
July 31, 2024

Not long after Rachel Antin started working as a cardiothoracic nurse at UPMC Shadyside, she realized she was drawn to oncology patients. Less than two years later, she began working as an oncology nurse at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.

“There’s something special about oncology patients and being a part of their journey is so special,” said the Squirrel Hill resident.

Antin saw many families struggle not only to pay bills but to carve out family time — without cancer always being in the picture. Of the 2 million people diagnosed with cancer in 2023, 1 in 5 was the parent of a child 18 or younger, according to the American Cancer Society.

In 2016, while pregnant with her son, Adam, Antin organized an outing for one of her patients, a single mom with a 9-year-old daughter. Amid all the scans, chemotherapy and blood draws, she wanted to do something fun with her daughter.

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