A glimpse of Judi Johnson: Nurse, leader, and friend

During one of the breaks at the AONS conference in 2017 in Korea, we had the pleasure of getting to know Judi Johnson—not just as a nurse, researcher, and educator, but as a remarkable person. She was approachable and always radiated positivity to everyone she met, even those she encountered for the first time. Her energy was palpable as she shared her ideas and plans for AONS and her role as the Editor-in-Chief of the Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing (APJON). As a conference delegate, I was pleasantly surprised when Judi not only noticed me but also called me by my first name. She was sitting alone, observing the various research presentations from different Asian countries. Judi challenged us to encourage nurses from the Philippines to publish their research. At that moment, she envisioned numerous contributions to the journal from nurses across Asia. She recognized the importance of nurses' research outputs in improving cancer care outcomes. Learning, she believed, transcends through the sharing of expertise from diverse cultures and different nursing care modalities. Even in our brief encounter, Judi shared her stories as a nurse, faculty member, educator, and researcher, deepening our admiration for her life's journey. She exemplified strong leadership and a caring demeanor. She was indeed someone admirable, who influenced others to be productive and empowered. Judi remains an inspiration to all of us.