‘Chemo may not make you ill'

Brain Middlekamp of Kansas City, Missouri, is a retired engineer fighting lymphoma.

“(My diagnosis) has made me appreciate each day I am alive to a much greater extent. You don't know how many days you will have on this planet, and a cancer diagnosis makes you quickly realize how true that is.

“I am pretty much living my life as I was before the diagnosis — just spending a lot more time in and out of clinics and hospitals.”

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Brian’s six words to describe his cancer experience are “Chemo may not make you ill.” Share your six words here.

Brian’s words, which were shared digitally through Tell KC, have been lightly edited for clarity.

As part of a local reporting project around the upcoming Ken Burns documentary series, Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies, KCPT presents Cancer in KC.

We want to learn more about how cancer affects our community. How has cancer impacted your life? Share your story.