‘The ultrasound took too long, uh-oh’

Kathy Gaillard, a registered nurse, received care for her thyroid cancer through her employer.

“My cancer was so easy compared to what my patients go through. I'm almost embarrassed to admit to them that I had cancer. My treatment was not difficult at all. The hardest part was waiting for the surgeon to return from vacation to perform the surgery.

“Selecting a treatment facility was not a decision I had to make. I work at KU; my physicians are at KU; of course, I chose KU for my treatment. I had a critical illness insurance policy and received a $10,000 payment after diagnosis.

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Kathy’s six words to describe her cancer experience are “The ultrasound took too long, uh-oh.” Share your six words here.

Kathy’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.