Young Louisville woman with brain cancer inspires others with her music

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A young Louisville woman is inspiring others never to lose their joy, even as she navigates her own incredible struggles.

Everything seemed to be going great for Jana Robey in her freshman year. The Christian Academy of Louisville student was a field hockey star with great grades. But all of that changed.

It wasn't a doctor's visit that first revealed to Robey and her parents that something was wrong. It was a selfie.

"I just looked different," Robey said. "And I was like, 'Mom, my smile! I lost my smile!'"

Doctors told Robey she had a tumor on her spine, and through more testing, doctors determined she had brain cancer as well -- an extremely rare form slowly attacking her nerves.

But despite the unsettling news, Robey says that no matter what the outcome. She's not losing hope. Not even close.

"I had this, like, overwhelming sense of peace," she said. "And I couldn't explain it, except that the Lord has given me that."

Through all the treatments, Robey lost her hair, but she kept playing the piano and kept praying.

"God is the only one with an eternal perspective," she said. "We just see what is just right in front of us. He sees above and the whole journey."

Despite five-hour daily round trips to Bloomington, Indiana, for radiation treatments, Robey graduated and even started college in Cedarville, Ohio, with a brother and two cousins.

"We always talked about how all four of us would be there at the same time," Robey said.

But now at the age of 21, nearly six years into her battle — blind in one eye and unable to walk — she's starting online college courses.

"I'm actually really grateful that I haven't lost the ability with my arms because I can still do the things that I love, like write and play the piano," she said.

She plays the same piano her grandmother played.

"She and her brother were forced to play early on," said Jackie Robey, Jana's mother.

"And I'm really glad I was forced to play," Jana added.

Jana not only plays songs, but she also writes them. She recently inspired thousands of people when a video of her playing and singing her song, "You Are my Joy" played during Pastor Kyle Idleman's sermon at Southeast Christian Church.

"Yes, we lament in our situations, but God is with us," Jana said. "And we can still find joy in that in whatever we're going through."

"It is just so cool to see other people just be blessed by her -- her message, her words," said Jeff Robey, Jana's father.

"I'm so thankful and so proud of her, and she's just doing what God wants her to do and making the most of every day and every opportunity," said Jackie Robey.

Now, Jana says she has one message for WDRB viewers as Christmas approaches.

"Make the most of this time of year," she said. "And just remember the hope that we have because Jesus came."