On episode 9 of Season 8 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host, Maya Roffler sits down with Katherine Mandzak, a writer and advocate, as she opens up about losing her beloved younger brother Colin to a rare and aggressive form of bile duct cancer.

From growing up as inseparable homeschool siblings to navigating a shocking cancer diagnosis, Katherine shares the raw reality of becoming the only surviving sibling and how her identity, grief, and life path were forever changed.

She walks us through the six-month rollercoaster from diagnosis to hospice, the sacred final moments, and the silence that followed. With powerful vulnerability, Katherine discusses anticipatory grief, the weight of being "the strong one," the unexpected beauty of sibling love, and how writing became her lifeline through it all.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone facing sibling loss, complicated grief, or struggling to find themselves in the aftermath.

In This Episode:

[00:00–03:00] Childhood Bond & Homeschooling Katherine reflects on growing up closely with Colin—just the two of them, homeschooled and always side by side.

[03:00–05:00] Staying Connected Through the College Years Despite being nearly five years apart, the two remained close with frequent check-ins, music events, and road trips.

[05:00–07:00] The First Health Scare Colin complains of gallstone-like pain within hours, he's in the ER and yellow with jaundice.

[07:00–10:00] The Diagnosis That Changed Everything On Katherine's 28th birthday, they learn it's bile duct cancer. The rare and aggressive nature becomes clear and hope turns to urgency.

[10:00–13:00] Shock, Dissociation, and the Urge to "Hold It Together" Katherine opens up about the emotional shutdown she experienced during Colin's treatment, trying to be strong for everyone else.

[14:00–16:00] Hopes for a Liver Transplant The family explores living donor options, but everyone, including Katherine and their mother, is ruled out.

[16:00–18:00] A Devastating Update Colin shares he has "a year left," but Katherine later learns he only had six months. She speaks candidly about the anger and betrayal of that timeline.

[18:00–21:00] The Final Days: Hospice & Sacred Space As the new year begins, Colin enters hospice. Katherine describes visiting him every weekend and witnessing moments where "he had one foot in each world."

[21:00–24:00] 2AM Goodbye She recalls the night Colin passed surrounded by silence and stillness and the powerful hug from her father that became a memory etched in time.

[24:00–26:00] A Brother's Hidden Love At the memorial, Colin's friends tell Katherine how much he talked about her redefining how she saw their bond.

[33:00–39:00] Healing, Boundaries, and Becoming Herself Katherine found her voice again through therapy and creativity. She now embraces who she is forever changed, but healing.

[39:00–44:00] Conversations About the Future As the only surviving sibling, she's now navigating conversations around caregiving, children, and long-term planning with her parents.

[44:00–47:00] How Her Husband Showed Up Katherine highlights her husband's quiet strength, especially during the memorial where he read for Colin.

Listen to the full episode of "Katherine Loses Colin To Cancer" now on all major platforms.

This episode is sponsored by The Surviving Siblings®

Connect with Katherine:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katherine.mandzak.14
Twitter/X: https://x.com/ka_mandzak
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/kamandzak

Connect with Maya:

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/survivingsiblingspodcast/
Maya's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayaroffler/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@survivingsiblingspodcast
Twitter: https://x.com/survivingsibpod
Website: thesurvivingsiblings.com
Facebook Group: The Surviving Siblings Podcast
YouTube: The Surviving Siblings Podcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheSurvivingSiblingsPodcast