Each year, the Parkview Packnett Family Cancer Institute invites past and current patients to submit unique designs for a T-shirt. This annual program was created as a way to honor cancer patients while raising funds for the Transformative Cancer Care Fund. This year, Kyle Steffe and his family created a heartfelt reminder that beating cancer is a marathon, not a sprint.
Gratitude
“I’m a person that loves to just go and tackle the bull by the horns,” Kyle said. “Cancer's not that way. It's a grind. It's a slow fight. As much as you want to get through it and quickly get back to life, it doesn't allow you to do that. There are treatments that are going to make you sick. There are doctor's visits weekly and life continues.”
The reality of life as a cancer patient reminded Kyle of the gifts of having a support system around to help where needed.
Kyle also shared the impact of having care options. He began his treatment journey at Parkview Packnett Family Cancer Institute (PFCI), before eventually transitioning his care to Parkview Kosciusko Hospital. “It was amazing, having this kind of care, this close to home,” he said. “The people to care for you, the expertise behind it. It's been a wonderful place.”
Inspiration
“We had a nurse bring in a ceramic turtle and put it in our healing garden,” Kyle shared. “And nobody knew what kind of happiness that little turtle could bring. She'd move it around, so each time you were in the chemo bay, you're looking for the turtle. Patients started bringing in their own turtles.”
Kyle said the patients made the turtles their own. So, when it came time to submit artwork for the 2026 T-shirt competition, he knew what he wanted to do. He just didn’t know exactly how to go about it. “I’m not an artist, so that's what makes this project kind of cool and fun. My son, he's the artsy kid and he helped me out with the design and the coloring of this turtle. It's been a really fun project as a family.”
Wrapped around the illustrated turtle, Kyle added a reminder: “Slow and steady.”
“Make the most of every day,” he said. “There's going to be days that are struggles. I say day by day, but sometimes it's minute by minute. It's part of your story and your life for the rest of your time.”
Get your shirt
The 2026 PFCI T-shirt is now available for purchase online and at the Parkview Regional Medical Center and Parkview Hospital Randallia gift shops. T-shirts are available starting at $20 plus sales tax.
When purchasing the T-shirt, you can also choose to donate to the Parkview Health Foundation’s Transformative Cancer Care Fund (TCCF), which helps patients by providing wigs and beanies, nutritional supplements, gas cards, Community Harvest Food Bank vouchers and more.
