About : Profiles

Meet Kimberly Curtis, 32-year-old Hodgkins disease and breast cancer survivor

Date of Diagnosis:
15yo (Hodgkins disease) and 30yo (breast cancer in 2004)

Treatment:
Chemotherapy, radiation therapy (Hodgkins disease)
Double mastectomy with reconstruction, chemotherapy (breast cancer)

Cancer was difficult because:
I had different problems during each illness. I got Hodgkin’s disease when I was in high school and missed an entire semester of school. I was thrown into the cancer world at a young age. When I got breast cancer at age 30, I was fired from my job and had trouble with finances and insurance. I didn’t handle chemo well and ended up in the hospital frequently. I had lots of worries and couldn’t focus on myself to get better. I went on disability and had to pay for Cobra.

Good things to come out of my illness:
Cancer brought my family closer together. My parents rented a place close by to be near me. I began making bracelets and keychains in pink and white beads and started a business to raise awareness for breast cancer. It’s not what I expected at all.

Most important pieces of advice for someone diagnosed with cancer:
1) Stay active.
2) It’s very important to have a good outlook and a good sense of humor
3) Find a good support group. My experience with MTC has helped tremendously.

Why I joined MoveThroughCancer:
I was referred by the Breast Cancer Resource Center.

How MoveThroughCancer changed my life:
I walk every week and I absolutely love it. I also do a little stretching and work with the exercise ball. I have more energy and I look forward and make sure I do some type of exercise every single day. During the Texas Roundup, my legs became numb and I got dizzy and felt faint. But, I eventually walked across the finish line and it felt great because I worked so hard to get there.