Additional Coverage:
- A 36-year-old woman was told she was ‘too young’ to have colon cancer. Months later, she was diagnosed with stage 4. (businessinsider.com)
Local Woman’s Journey from Stage 4 Colon Cancer to Remission: A Story of Persistence and Community Support
Amber Kissell, a 45-year-old local resident, faced a harrowing battle with stage 4 colon cancer, a journey that began with dismissed symptoms and culminated in a remarkable remission. Her story highlights the importance of advocating for one’s health and the power of community in times of crisis.
In her mid-30s, just before the birth of her second child, Kissell began experiencing concerning symptoms, including alternating constipation and diarrhea, which she initially attributed to pregnancy. After giving birth, the presence of blood in her stool, a common sign of colon cancer, prompted her to seek medical attention. Despite losing 10 pounds without explanation, a primary care physician diagnosed her with a fissure, and a colorectal surgeon later attributed her symptoms to hemorrhoids.
“In the back of my head, I was thinking ‘something isn’t right,'” Kissell recalled. She returned to the colorectal surgeon multiple times, explicitly asking about colon cancer, only to be reassured she was “too young” for such a diagnosis, and a colonoscopy wouldn’t be covered by insurance due to her age (then 50, now 45 for recommended screening).
Her health continued to decline. Kissell experienced lightheadedness and flu-like symptoms, leaving her exhausted and increasingly reliant on her husband to care for their infant.
Following a severe dizzy spell, she was advised by her colorectal doctor to go home and return for a colonoscopy. It was shortly after this procedure that she received the devastating news: stage 4 colon cancer, which had spread to her liver and lymph nodes.
“My children were 8 and 16 months,” she shared, reflecting on the moment her life flashed before her eyes.
Kissell immediately began treatment, choosing not to dwell on grim timelines. In a surprising turn, her chemotherapy proved exceptionally effective, shrinking her tumors. She has now been in remission for nearly a decade.
Seeking the Right Path to Treatment
Upon diagnosis, Kissell diligently sought multiple opinions for her treatment plan. She met with doctors who suggested aggressive chemotherapy before surgery, others who favored immediate surgery, and one who, she claims, bluntly questioned why she wasn’t crying, stating, “You know you’re going to die, right?” She ultimately chose a compassionate doctor who proposed starting with chemotherapy.
Given the advanced stage of her cancer, Kissell was placed on palliative care, focusing on improving her quality of life by shrinking tumors rather than an immediate cure. The initial plan involved six rounds of chemotherapy, followed by surgery on her colon and liver, and then another six rounds of chemo.
Her primary concern remained her family. “When you tell a mom she has stage 4 cancer, the only thing she worries about is her children,” she emphasized. Unsure of how much time she had, she prepared gifts, journals, and blankets for her children.
Striving for Normality Amidst Treatment
Throughout her treatment, Kissell, a hospital nurse, was determined to maintain a sense of normalcy for her family. She continued to work, even bringing her chemo pump bag with her and taking breaks in her car when nausea struck.
“I wouldn’t say it was the easiest thing in the world,” she admitted, but preferred it to being alone with her thoughts. After work, she and her husband made an effort to stay active with their young children, riding bikes and taking walks.
Living in her hometown in Indiana, Kissell found immense support from her community. Initially, financial worries plagued her, fearing the loss of her home or cars, or being unable to afford treatment.
However, friends, family, and local organizations rallied around her. A local nonprofit organized a fundraising concert, coworkers started a GoFundMe, and friends provided meals.
“I will never be able to repay everyone who was so kind,” Kissell expressed gratefully.
A Rare and Encouraging Outcome
After her fourth round of chemotherapy, scans revealed astonishing results: all seven small tumors in her liver had vanished, as had those in her lymph nodes. The primary tumor in her colon had also significantly shrunk.
Her doctor adjusted the treatment plan, completing all chemotherapy before surgery on her colon. Following the surgery, all signs of cancer had disappeared.
Dr. Pashtoon Kasi, Medical Director of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at City of Hope in Irvine, California, (who did not treat Kissell) noted that while neoadjuvant chemotherapy (chemotherapy before surgery) can sometimes lead to remission, such full remission is still considered rare.
He explained that shrinking tumors before surgery can make the procedure more successful, especially if tumors are near vital blood vessels. Kissell’s doctor even told her she was his first patient to respond so dramatically.
Nearly nine years later, Kissell remains in remission, now requiring only annual checkups with her oncologist. The adjustment to life after treatment presented its own challenges, with lingering anxiety. “It was so bad at the beginning — my finger could hurt and I was calling my oncologist,” she remembered, noting it took “forever to get over that.”
The experience profoundly changed her perspective, particularly her appreciation for family time. Once hesitant to take photos, her battle with cancer shifted that view.
“Thankfully, I’ve been able to create lots of memories over the past eight years,” she said. “I pray I get many more.”