In 2020, at age 15, Colten White was diagnosed with stage IV diffuse large B cell lymphoma. What many might view as a season focused only on survival became a time that reshaped his perspective and deepened his sense of purpose.
This week, White will graduate from Samford University’s Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing. In a meaningful full circle moment, one of the nurses who cared for him during his cancer treatment now serves as a clinical instructor in the same program. As White looks toward his future in health care, he has taken time to reflect on the path that led him to nursing and the experiences that shaped his calling.
Looking back on that season, what stands out most to you?
I was getting ready to start my sophomore year of high school, and everything already felt uncertain because of COVID. Getting that diagnosis was overwhelming.
My treatment involved months of aggressive chemotherapy at Children’s of Alabama. I spent close to four straight months in the hospital dealing with sores, nausea, extreme fatigue and hair loss. The mental challenge was just as hard as the physical side. With COVID restrictions, I could only see my parents. I went from being a teenager hanging out with friends to facing a life-changing illness.
How did that experience shape your decision to pursue nursing?
I had always been interested in health care, but nursing was not something I had specifically considered. Going through cancer changed that for me.
The nurses were not only treating my illness. They were caring for my mental and emotional well-being. During a time when I could not see friends or extended family, they stepped in and showed up for me. One of my nurses, Mackenzie, even wrote encouraging messages on my hospital window before I went home. Those small moments meant a lot.
God used that experience to show me my purpose, which is to care for others the way I was cared for. Having been the patient has given me a deeper understanding of how important it is to care for someone physically, mentally and emotionally.
In what ways has Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing influenced how you care for patients?
Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing focuses on caring for the whole person, not just the diagnosis. Being at Samford and having a faith-centered approach to learning has been essential for me. We are taught to care deeply about our patients, not just complete tasks, and that aligns with how I want to practice nursing.
You recently reconnected with Mackenzie during clinical readiness day. What did that moment mean to you?
During my final skills checkoff, I was assigned to a clinical instructor who turned out to be Mackenzie, the same nurse who cared for me during my treatment. At first, neither of us realized it. As we talked about the unit where I had been treated, she asked my name. When I said Colten White, she immediately recognized me.
That moment truly brought everything full circle. I went from being the patient in the hospital bed to standing there as a student nurse. When I look back on where I was then and where I am now, it is clear to see how God has been present through it all.
As you prepare to begin work in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children’s of Alabama, how do your experiences shape the way you want to serve patients and families?
I want to work with pediatric patients because I know what it feels like to be in that hospital bed. I also watched what my parents went through, and I want to support families as well. My goal is to provide intentional and compassionate care, and on hard days to remember where I have been and what God has called me to do.
What would you say to patients facing a difficult diagnosis and to the nurses caring for them?
To patients, I would say you can either let an experience like that consume you or allow God to use it for something greater. It stays with you, but you do not have to live in fear. There is purpose even in the hardest seasons.
To nurses, I would say the small things really do matter. Those moments of kindness and presence may seem simple, but patients notice them and remember them. I know I did.
What advice would you offer to students who are considering nursing?
I would tell them to do it. It is hard work, but it is also one of the most meaningful and fulfilling careers you can choose. You are caring for people at their most vulnerable moments, and that is a gift.
What makes Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing graduates distinctive?
Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing is not just focused on checking boxes. There is a strong emphasis on truly caring for patients, and that is reflected in the way our faculty teach and the examples they set through their own nursing careers.
