Facing the Rarest of Cancers | Katie Coleman

Sep 6, 2022

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On New Year's Eve of 2020, at the age of 29, Katie Coleman was diagnosed with metastatic renal oncocytoma, a type of kidney cancer so rare that she is the only known case in the United States and one of only a handful around the world. The sheer uniqueness of her situation resulted in a prolonged course of prognostic and therapeutic uncertainty. Thanks to the work of oncologists at the National Cancer Institute and MD Anderson Cancer Center, Katie is now in remission. Today, she is a patient advocate who passionately supports other patients through their cancer journeys. In this episode, Katie joins us to share her incredible story, her experiences with grief, uncertainty, and hope, and her lessons learned on finding joy and meaning in life.

In this episode, you will hear about:

Katie’s backstory and the events leading up to her diagnosis - 1:50
The experience of being diagnosed with one of the rarest cancers in the world - 3:58
How Katie’s oncologists discussed this unusual diagnosis with her - 10:42
The experience of receiving treatment with the goal of prolonging life, rather than curing the disease - 13:06
How co-host Dr. Tyler Johnson communicates issues of serious illness with his patients - 15:38
How the uncertainty around a terminal cancer prognosis impacts the way patients approach living their lives - 22:21
How Katie’s changing prognoses have altered her life plans - 28:53
The wisdom on living well one gains from facing a life-limiting illness - 34:32
Lessons on hope in the face of uncertainty - 39:55
The various ways clinicians can open up and connect with their patients on a human level - 44:14

Katie’s story has been profiled by the National Cancer Institute, NBC News, and the Today Show.

You can follow Katie on Twitter @KayDAustin

Katie is also an active content creator and patient advocate on Youtube, TikTok, and Instagram.

Visit our website www.TheDoctorsArt.com where you can find transcripts of all episodes.

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