FORMER Premier Volleyball League (PVL) champion import Janisa Johnson has passed away after her battle with colon cancer at age 32.
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The tragic news was shared on her Instagram page on Tuesday morning. There, former PVL teammates and opponents alike shared their condolences.
An Angel returns to heaven
Johnson played in the PVL from 2018 to 2019, capped by her first and only title with the Petro Gazz Angels in the 2019 Reinforced Conference where she was also feted as Finals MVP.
The American spiker made her league debut in 2018 with National University-Nazareth School (NUNS)-Balipure alongside then-budding aces Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, Ivy Lacsina, and Faith Nisperos.
Following her title-winning stint in 2019, Johnson moved to Europe and played for Polish side Radomka S.A.
She would then hit pause on her fast-rising career after her colon cancer diagnosis in March of 2021, which was initially described by her mother club as a ’serious health issue’ that prompted her sudden exit.
Johnson shared on her social media pages how her experiences with chemotherapy and radiation ‘took a lot from her’ upon undergoing 12 sessions at a time.
READ: Petro Gazz offers support as Janisa Johnson battles colon cancer
Among a vast array of PVL imports to have graced Philippine volleyball, Johnson will be remembered not only for her domineering exploits on offense, but also for her warm demeanor towards Filipino fans during her stay in the country.
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