Karen's Story

There is a history of colon cancer in my family. So, in 2019, at age 43, I had my first colonoscopy. A few benign polyps were removed, and I was advised to return in five years for another screening.

Five years later, in October 2024, at age 48, I was diagnosed with rectal cancer and suspicious liver lesions. The diagnosis was scary, and I could not understand how it had grown and spread so quickly in five years! During the 10 years before my diagnosis, I had worked to lower my risk factors by quitting smoking, losing weight, reducing my alcohol intake and adopting a healthier diet.

I decided I could not dwell on how and why it happened. I needed to focus on saving my life. I went into fight mode. I decided that I was not going to be a cancer patient. I was going to be a person living with cancer, and I had a lot of life left to live!

As a Moffitt team member since 2018, I knew Moffitt was the only place to go for the best outcomes. I met Dr. Richard Kim on Nov. 5, 2024, and he confirmed the diagnosis of stage IVA metastatic rectal cancer that had spread to my liver. I started chemotherapy two weeks later, followed by surgery and radiation.

The care plan felt overwhelming. To make it more manageable, I focused on one appointment and one treatment at a time.

Karen kayaking the Little Mermaid River with her husband, Jason.

Cancer is scary. But I had the best support system. My husband and sister, who flew in from California once a month, took turns driving me to biweekly chemo treatments. My children, family, friends and coworkers checked on me daily and supported me when I needed to rest during treatments and after surgery.

My Moffitt care team of providers and nurses helped manage my chemo and radiation side effects with medication and other interventions. Through it all, I never lost hope. I remained positive and believed I would be cured. I continued working, enjoyed weekends with family and friends and even completed my bachelor’s degree during treatment!

No cancer journey is linear, and mine was no exception. I stumbled across a few ‘humble humps’ along the way, which reminded me that even though things seem to be going well, it is still cancer, and there is no rule book. My treatments were delayed due to a pulmonary embolism requiring blood thinners, anemia requiring blood and iron transfusions, and an unrelated intestinal infection requiring hospitalization and IV antibiotics.

Over a year later, on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, I received the news that all cancer patients hope for. My cancer is gone with no evidence of disease! I had beaten stage IV rectal cancer!

On Nov. 5, 2024, I walked into Moffitt full of hope as a cancer warrior.

On Feb. 13, 2026, I walked out of Moffitt full of life as a cancer survivor!

This story was originally published in the PARTNERS newsletter. Visit Moffitt.org/PARTNERS for more stories and to learn more.