Remembering Karen Ross

Une personne lumineuse – Elle m’a aidée à traverser une période très difficile de ma vie. Sa douceur et sa façon si paisible d’écouter m’ont toujours apaisée. Elle va beaucoup me manquer. Mes plus sincères condoléances à sa famille ainsi qu’à sa famille de Cancer du rein Canada. Repose en paix Karen.

A beautiful soul – she helped me through a very difficult time in my life. Her gentleness and quiet way of listening always soothed me. I will miss her. Condolences her family and to her Kidney Cancer Canada family. May she rest in peace.

I am so saddened to hear of Karen’s passing, she will be deeply missed at our monthly coffee chats. Her unwavering support and kindness was appreciated by us all.

It is such sad news about Karen Ross. I have known her since the very beginning of my journey with KCC in 2022. Her legacy has left a profound and lasting impact on both KCC and on me personally. Her strong and compassionate voice for caregivers of patients living with kidney cancer is truly a cornerstone of KCC’s foundation.

I will deeply miss her candid, honest perspectives on providing care for patients, while always ensuring that caregivers—the often unseen supporters—were never forgotten.

I met and got to know (and appreciate) Karen during her many trips to Halifax from New Brunswick in the early days of VEGF targeted therapy development. That relationship extended beyond those days and grew as she became more involved in Kidney Cancer Canada. She took every opportunity to promote Kidney Cancer Canada and kidney cancer awareness; especially in Atlantic Canada. I always looked forward to the chance to visit Karen at our regular Atlantic Oncology meetings (where she could be seen carrying in boxes and boxes of educational material to share with attendees!) and the KCRNC forum. Karen was a remarkable caregiver and advocate. Her was dedicated to her family. She was passionate and kind. To put it simply, she was Karen Ross. I will miss her.

Karen’s passing is a profound loss for all of us at Kidney Cancer Canada. Although I had the privilege of knowing her for only a short time, I quickly came to appreciate her honesty, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to ensuring the voices of patients and caregivers were always heard. She made a lasting impact on our Board and our community through her candid perspective, compassion, and dedication. It was an honour to serve alongside her, and my heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing her. She will be remembered with deep gratitude and respect.

Karen and I were both on the board at the same time. Whenever there were conferences, Karen and I and our husbands sought each other out. Karen was always such a kind and engaging person and when my cancer returned, she always took the time to answer my questions when I corresponded with her. A very fine individual indeed; always with such a lovely smile. I will miss her.

What began as friendly support for a new volunteer evolved into mentorship and eventually a cherished friendship. Together, we worked to support kidney cancer patients and caregivers across Canada, united by a shared commitment to making a meaningful difference.
Some of my fondest memories are of traveling together to patient conferences and support initiatives, where we shared not only important work but also laughter, stories, and friendship. Our efforts were always focused on supporting patients and caregivers, and together we developed some of our most successful programs, including the beloved Coffee Chats.
Your compassion, wisdom, and dedication touched the lives of so many, including my own. I am deeply grateful for your friendship, guidance, and the lasting impact you leave behind. You will be deeply missed, fondly remembered, and forever appreciated. 💚