Gianna Kingsland was only 24 years old when her life came to a sudden halt. Kingsland was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, an extremely rare cancerous tumor, often affecting children and young adults. This type of tumor is notorious for infiltrating the human bone and soft tissue, often causing severe and potentially life-altering complications.
About six months before the official diagnosis, the signs came subtly and imperceptibly for Kingsland. She began experiencing some pain in her groin area. Assuming the pain came from her consistent gym schedule, tied in with her consistent eight-hour work schedule, she brushed it aside, presuming this issue was something minor. She stopped using the hip abductor exercise machine at the gym, hoping that would end the groin pain.
Soon after, she began experiencing a similar ache in her back area. Likewise, Kingsland dismissed the ache, assuming poor form at the gym to be the cause. She discontinued the routine, hoping it would relieve the pain. Instead, symptoms intensified and even extended to new areas. It became clear that this issue could not be ignored. She decided to seek out medical assistance.
“I left work to go to the doctor and I explained to [them] my symptoms and they sent me to get outpatient imaging for an ultrasound on my pelvis,” said Kingsland. “So that’s what I did, and they can’t tell you your results then and there; they have to call you with the results.”
About two days later, in what Kingsland anticipated to be a regular day at work, she was taken aback when a coworker called her over to tell her someone was on the store phone for her. Little did she know that the jarring news she’d receive from her doctor on a phone call that day would change the trajectory of her life. Her doctor said a mass, about one to three centimeters big, was found inside her body.
After a series of more follow-ups with her obstetrician-gynecologist and doctors to confirm the type of mass, the question was no longer whether the mass was cancerous; the new question that was raised was: What type of cancer did she contract? The mass found inside her was a portion of a huge tumor that broke through her pelvic bone, explaining the months of groin pain. After an MRI test, Kingsland was found to have three lesions on her spine, also explaining the back pain.
Before Kingsland’s diagnosis, she lived a regular, modest life—living independently in her apartment complex. She always had a love for art and creativity. Kingsland was coming off of her associate’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City. FIT is recognized for its rigorous fashion, art, and design programs designed for students who are passionate about the arts and creatives. She worked regularly as a visual merchandiser at Zara and began training her way up to a new managerial position at her job.
Gianna Kingsland at Montclair State University with her final project for her visual arts class. Art and design is her passion. The Montclarionâ David Bien-Aime
Her dream job for the longest was to become an art teacher, balancing both pay and passion.
This diagnosis brought her life to a standstill, where she was suddenly forced to undergo chemotherapy for a year. She spent that time period in and out of the hospital and had to undergo many medical procedures to combat the cancer. She attended chemotherapy five days a week, with each session lasting between eight to ten hours. The following week she took a week break before beginning shorter chemotherapy sessions three days a week. This cycle repeated.
According to the National Library of Medicine, Ewing sarcoma affects approximately one in one million people in the United States.
For most people, hearing a statistic like this feels like a cruel twist of fate, where denial might be the first instinct. But for Gianna Kingsland, her diagnosis was a reality that she quickly learned to come to terms with. She faced this rare condition head-on with extraordinary mental strength, rooted in acceptance.
“Death is a possibility, you can’t escape that, so I had to accept that early on and that was the first thing I did when I found out,” Kingsland said. “I tried to accept it as best as I can, that may be my outcome, and I [had] to accept that and that will be okay. [I thought], ‘I don’t think this is going to kill me but I think this is going to break me, but I have to be stronger than it.’”
As mentally strong as Kingsland stayed, it wasn’t easy, especially when there were times of isolation during her battle with cancer. Gianna was able to find solace through reading and the strong bond she built with the doctors and nurses at the hospital. Doctors called her “Golden Child.”
Gianna came to Montclair State University after she made a recovery and chose visual arts as her major because of her passion for the arts. After her battle, she decided to go back to school in pursuit of her dream job of becoming an art teacher. Through the alternate route program, a non-traditional teacher preparation program offered by the university, she hopes to become one.
As a project for Kingsland’s visual arts class, she did an interactive performance for her gallery exhibition. Her performance was called “Reflection In Resilience.” The four photos she chose for her interactive performance were photos of what she endured during her battle with cancer.
Gianna's pictured behind the four photos during her battle. The MontclarionâDavid Bien-Aime
The photo to the right was taken during full-body radiation treatment. The second photo was post-surgery after her bone marrow transplant to get a new port installed on her left side. The third photo is a real scan of her tumor, bladder and femur bone. The final photo to the left is a photo of her holding up her brother’s bone marrow, who was also her donor.
The gold on the ground in this interactive performance represented the nickname “Golden Child,” coined by the doctors in the hospital because she is one of their best success stories. The red represented blood, and the pills represented the real pills she would take during her bone marrow transplant, symbolizing her triumph and unshakeable resilience.
Gianna Kingsland's interactive performance. The golden representing her nickname, red representing blood and the real pills she took. David Bien-AimeâThe Montclarion
“During my journey, I held on to hope because if you have hope, then you could get through anything,” Kingsland said. “Hope is your guiding light through everything you go through, and that’s what helped me.”
In her interactive performance, she would read the audience a passage and then pass them a note to reflect on the passage, the experience, or the note, and they would reflect on it on a blank piece of paper and pass it back to her.
Ilaria Cangialosi, a visual arts major who is friends with Kingsland, shared her experience.
“It was an instant connection, friendship,” Cangialosi said. “She’s just such a vibrant and genuine soul, she’s so sweet and down to earth. Meeting her, you’d never know what she’d been through because she’s so positive and uplifting.”
Gianna Kingsland’s story is one of triumph, finding strength in a difficult time. Today, she stands not only as a student and aspiring teacher but a talented creative whose story proves that even in the face of adversity, hope can still lead the way. Kingsland didn’t just beat her cancer, she turned it into her artistic canvas.
