Krystal Hamilton has always been the kind of person who keeps moving.
As a high school English teacher at Thrive Academy in Baton Rouge, she is used to being the steady presence others rely on, balancing the demands of the classroom with a full life outside of it. In her free time, she stays active, working out, spending time in her yard and finding ways to keep moving.
She describes herself simply and honestly: “I’m definitely a go, go, go kind of person.”
That pace had always been part of who she was. It made what came next feel even more unsettling.
When Something Didn’t Feel Right
In October 2023, Krystal began to feel a shift.
At first, it was subtle, and her first thought was to dismiss it as something minor. Then she started noticing a level of fatigue that didn’t match her routine.
“My fatigue was overwhelming,” she says. “I would work a day at work, and I was drifting off as I’m driving home.”
Then came the back pain. Again, she attributed it to her active lifestyle and pushed through it, assuming it would pass.
It wasn’t until January 2024 where she discovered a small growth that she began to question what was happening. Even then, she thought it was minor.
“I thought, it’s just an ingrown hair, nothing major,” she says. But the growth continued, and eventually, it became painful enough for her to go to the hospital.
Doctors determined that the growth was part of a tumor that had broken off and traveled outside her abdominal wall. A small surgery was able to remove the growth and repair her abdomen, but now Krystal had an answer to those seemingly minor issues. She had ovarian cancer.
When she first got the news, fear and uncertainty set in quickly, but they did not stay long. Before the day ended, her mindset had already begun to shift.
“I was doing research and I was planning on how to beat it,” she says. “That’s where my mind immediately went.”
She sought out stories of other women, joined online groups and focused on hope.
“I turned a negative into positive,” she says. “And I just started thinking about how I would fight it. And I still do that today.”
Care That Shows Up
That determination was met with a care team ready to support her every step of the way.
At FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute, Krystal connected with a multidisciplinary team that quickly became a source of strength and stability. From her gynecologist Laurel King, MD, to her oncologist, Sobia Ozair, MD, and the nursing staff who supported her day to day, she found not only clinical expertise but a level of responsiveness and honesty that helped her stay grounded.
“I couldn’t have been connected with a better care team,” she says. “It’s been great.”
For Krystal, communication mattered. She wanted clarity, even when the answers were difficult. She found that same approach reflected back to her.
Her care team answered questions quickly, often within minutes, and made themselves available in ways that went beyond expectation.
“There has never been anything that I have asked for, never been anything that I have questioned that Dr. Ozar has not been willing to address,” she says.
That trust became especially important as her journey evolved. After her initial diagnosis, Krystal began treatment in February 2024, undergoing chemotherapy, followed by a total hysterectomy and additional rounds of chemotherapy. By August, on her birthday, she celebrated a milestone.
“I rang the bell, and I was NED (No Evidence of Disease),” she says.
Her recovery plan included more than medication. Through programs like Exercise as Medicine and physical therapy, she worked to rebuild her strength and regain a sense of normalcy. She continued teaching, balancing treatment with the demands of the classroom.
When a recurrence appeared in late 2025, her care team moved without delay.
“Everything happened quickly,” she says. “I didn’t have to stress about it. They’re on top of it.”
Faith, Family and the Will to Keep Going
Through every phase of her journey, Krystal has been intentional about how she approaches each day.
Treatment has not been easy. She describes the physical toll with honesty, from fatigue to neuropathy to the side effects of a new chemotherapy regimen. Still, she remains focused on what she can control.
“For me, fighting this fight is more mental than anything,” she says.
That mindset is rooted in her faith and the support system around her. Krystal leans heavily on her faith, her family and a strong network of friends who continue to lift her up.
“Without my faith, I know that I probably would have run into some brick walls along the way,” she says.
She describes a circle of “prayer warriors,” church communities in both Baton Rouge and her hometown of Tallulah, Louisiana, and a family that has stood beside her through every step. Even in moments of exhaustion or doubt, that support helps her keep going.
“There are days when I just don’t want to go,” she says. “But that voice inside of me says that’s not the answer. And I keep going.”
Her experience has also changed how she listens to her body and how she encourages others to do the same. She speaks openly, especially to other women, about the importance of paying attention and advocating for your health.
“Everything matters,” she says. “Pay attention to your body. Do not shrug it off.”
Using Her Voice to Lift Others
On April 11, Krystal will be honored as an FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake Geaux Hero during LSU Softball’s Geaux Teal game against Arizona, an event dedicated to raising awareness about ovarian cancer.
For her, the recognition is deeply meaningful.
“It’s an honor,” she says. “I cried when I first got the call.”
It is not just about the moment on the field. It is about the opportunity to share her story in a way that can help others. She sees this as part of a larger purpose, one that extends beyond her own experience.
“I always want to make sure that I can share my story and that my story can be used to educate others,” she says.
As she prepares for the game, surrounded by family, friends and a community wearing teal in support, she carries a message shaped by everything she has faced.
“One day at a time,” she says. “That is my phrase. We have to just be able to beat this thing one day at a time, because we will beat it.”
She also offers a reminder that has guided her through even the hardest days.
“Cancer is in me, but it does not have me,” she says.
It is a statement of resilience, identity and hope. And it is the message she hopes other women will carry with them, whether they are facing a diagnosis or simply learning to listen more closely to their bodies.
