Dear Jack
Foundation

Katie

Active LifeList Participant

In May of 2023, I made an appointment with my doctor because I was having GI changes and had been keeping a journal to track new/strange symptoms. They wanted to rule out allergies/intolerances and prescribed fiber supplements and my blood labs showed very low ferritin levels, so I also started iron supplements. In August of 2023, I returned to the doctor as my GI symptoms continued and my ferritin levels had only increased slightly. After a discussion, my doctor was ready to continue with a continuation of iron and fiber supplements. I was getting ready to leave disappointed when my doctor asked the medical student to give their opinion. They said they thought a colonoscopy could be an appropriate next step and, although there is no family history, my doctor agreed. In December of 2023, I had my first colonoscopy and was immediately sent for a CT scan to confirm my colon cancer diagnosis at age 35. A week later, I had my first ever surgery to remove the cancer and have a resection.

In January of 2023, I started fertility preservation treatment. I only had time for one round of treatment due to needing to start chemo ASAP. Freezing my eggs was never something I had thought about and frankly knew very little about. It’s hard to describe how hard this time was and still is. I feel like I was thrust into such life changing decisions (that needed to happen ASAP) out of nowhere amongst facing cancer and all that means.

Since February of 2023, I have had chemo treatments every other week. I have two more rounds to go.

Katie’s LifeList:

  1. Check back soon. she’s still deciding!

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