Kansas Stories

Stomach Cancer Awareness Month. Realistic Periwinkle ribbon symbol. Medical Design. Vector illustration.

Kansas Stories

June Rempel-Wichita, KS I was diagnosed in July of 2020 and was only the second patient my Oncologist had ever seen with stomach cancer.  We don’t know why I had stomach cancer.  I was super healthy throughout my life and have no pre-existing conditions.  I had just gotten back from a hiking trip with my kids before being diagnosed. I went from an upset stomach to excruciating pain overnight.  I had a CT scan and they found a mass.  Later I found out I was stage 3.  I didn’t have H-Pylori and I didn’t have the CDH1 gene for stomach cancer.  There is still very little information and a significant lack of familiarity about stomach cancer. Our providers need more information and research to help people with this deadly disease.

Early on, my Oncologist asked me if I wanted to know my chances, how long I have.  I immediately said, Nope!  I truly just wanted to do everything possible to kick this, my husband had just passed away and my kids needed me.  I went through chemo and had a gastrectomy to remove 90% of my stomach. I was one of the lucky ones who was able to have this surgery.  It is interesting to say that I was lucky to have my stomach removed!  My life is forever altered.  I am 5′ 4′ and my weight dropped down to 75 lbs after surgery. I was unable to do a second round of chemo.  I now take many supplements and strive each day to be healthy and maintain 80 lbs as my body no longer absorbs food well.  I eat small amounts 6 times each day and alternate that with being able to take liquids. I also often deal with severe hypoglycemia and other related issues. We need to do better than that!  We clearly need more research and more options to cure this disease!  It would be so helpful to be able to have the ability to better target  stomach cancer treatments and better options for a cure than the removal of my stomach. So, though I am thankful for my outcome, I know that we can do better and am thankful to Debbie’s Dream Foundation for their support of stomach cancer research!  Let’s go for a “moonshot” and cure this deadly disease!
In the here and now, I am a survivor. Through faith in God and a supportive prayer team, traditional and alternative medicine, I am healed.  I choose to live each day with joy and the ability to volunteer and serve others!  I have been NED (no evidence of disease) for the last 4 scans!  I Praise God and am thankful for each day my story continues!!  My goal each day is to instill hope in others!