We Are IH: Emergency nurse survives cancer, supports donor drive

May 23, 2024

Joel poses in front of Twin Falls on the way to Hanna, Maui, a trip he took in April 2024. He likes to stay active and enjoys water sports.

Name: Joel Koette (he/him/his)
Job Title: Emergency department registered nurse (RN)
Years of Service: 5
Worksite: Kelowna General Hospital
Community: Kelowna
Ancestral Territory: Syilx
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind.” – Brad Meltzer

Born and raised in Prince George, Joel has always been high energy, active and confident. With his bubbly, effervescent personality, he loves making people laugh and smile. “I try to stay positive, be grateful and have fun at work,” he says.

When in early 2018 he started to feel extremely fatigued, he put it down to having taken on too much. “I was working full time as a licensed practical nurse, and going to school full time as a mature student in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at UBCO,” he recalls. “My doctor at the time ran some bloodwork and called me that evening to come into his office.

“The next day he told me I had cancer.”

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Life-saving stem cell donation inspires donor drive

Learn more about Joel’s journey with IH

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Life-saving stem cell donation inspires donor drive

Diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, Joel learned his only hope for a cure was a stem cell transplant, and discovered the search for a stem cell match might take some time. About six months later, he was told he had a match, and underwent a stem cell transplant in September 2018.

Without having found a donor, I would have not survived blood cancer.

-- Joel Koette

Five years later in 2023—almost to the day he received his transplant—Joel met his stem cell donor in Germany.

Two men one wearing a white t-shirt and one wearing a blue t-shirt with their arms around another giving the thumbs up sign sit on a stone wall with a lush green city and blue sky in the background. — Joel and his donor spent some time sightseeing around Westerberg.

Joel was so inspired by his meeting that when he returned home, he began to organize a stem cell drive to raise awareness and increase the number of registered donors in Canada. In December 2023, he partnered with Canadian Blood Services to host a stem cell swabbing event at his worksite, Kelowna General Hospital. Members of the public and hospital staff turned out to support the cause. In all, 45 swab kits were collected over six hours. The drive was a chance for Joel to give back to his community and is one of his proudest moments at IH.

“More than 1,000 people in Canada are searching for a match,” he says. “If you’re between 17 and 35 years old and in good health, you can register to be a stem cell donor. Donors from different ethnic backgrounds are needed as they are better matches to those who share the same background.”

A man standing in a hospital lobby with his hands in his pockets wearing a face mask, white t-shirt with grey sleeves that says “A stem cell donor saved my life” next to a sign that says “Stem Cells for Life” with an image of a smiling man in a white dress shirt. — Joel organized a stem cell swabbing event at Kelowna General Hospital in December 2023 in partnership with Canadian Blood Services. They collected 45 swabs for the Canadian stem cell registry.

Learn more about Joel’s journey with IH

A year and a half ago, Joel moved to the emergency department, which he describes as having been a great experience. “I love making a difference and want to be able to give our patients the care that each of them deserves,” Joel shares. “When I was at my lowest, it was nice to have my nurse be able to take their time and help make me comfortable when I was in Vancouver General Hospital.”

I'm so proud to be part of such a hard-working team. I have so many learning opportunities and have felt really supported on my bad days when I just didn't feel like anything was going right.

-- Joel Koette

In his leisure time, Joel enjoys working in his yard and staying active. “I'm excited about starting to paddleboard this summer and look forward to being out on the water,” he shares. “I also love to swim. This year will be my eighth time participating in the Across the Lake Swim, a 2.1 km open water swim across Okanagan Lake.”

A man in a blue shirt wearing scuba gear blows out bubbles in an underwater picture. — Joel is especially fond of the water. Here he’s seen scuba snorkelling in the waters off of Maui at the Molokini Crater.

He’s also looking forward to a special family trip this summer to Lac St. Anne, Alberta. “Lac St. Anne is the Métis settlement that my family is from and where my grandma grew up,” he explains. “Each year they have a pilgrimage, and my grandma doesn't miss it. I haven't been back in more than 20 years and I'm excited to go! It will be nice for all of us to return together and for my nephews to see some of their heritage.”

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