Cancer Awareness
Feature story:
Kathie Williamson - Fiercely choosing to not live in ‘limbo’
On July 31, 2018, while packing for an out-of-town business trip, Kathie Williamson felt an overwhelming sensation to cough. She quickly realized, however, that this was not a typical cough but a frightening indication that something could be terribly wrong.
“I felt something strange in my lungs, and it was just pure blood that was
filling my lungs that I was coughing up,” Williamson remembered. “I couldn’t even breathe – it felt like I was drowning.”
At the hospital, Williamson underwent a series of tests and scans, all the while thinking she was likely experiencing a bleeding ulcer, as cancer doesn’t run in her family. But when the doctor finally arrived to discuss the results, her world was turned completely upside down.
“All I heard was the word ‘cancer.’ I wasn’t comprehending anything else he was saying,” she said. “I just knew I wasn’t leaving the hospital that night.”
Williamson, who was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer at the age of 50, ended up staying in the hospital for about a week. Yet, during that first night, all she could think about was how to break the news to her family and friends.
“The first thought I had was that I needed to tell my family and my boss,” she explained. “It felt impersonable via text but I couldn’t make those calls at 5 a.m., and I was so worried about them and how they would handle it.”
What followed was a whirlwind of doctor visits and various procedures, including 33 radiation treatments right out of the gate.
“Instead of work, I drove to radiation appointments,” Williamson said. “It was like my job.”
Three months later, Williamson resumed her role as director of human resources for an insurance company located in Knoxville, but continued receiving treatments due to cancer recurrence.
There currently is no evidence of disease.
“The cancer came back three times,” she said, noting a total of 13 chemotherapy treatments and 58 radiation treatments to date, as well as ongoing immunotherapy. “But this coming January, it’ll be another two years of being cancer-free.”
‘Finding silver linings’
For Williamson, keeping a sense of humor in the midst of her diagnosis was paramount.
“I’m a pretty positive person and I love to laugh, even if that means laughing at myself,” she said. “Radiation, for instance, was really hard on me, but I’d just tell myself that it’s time to go tanning.”
She also has strived to be as open as possible about her journey, posting updates on Facebook to keep friends and family informed about her diagnosis and treatments. Additionally, as Human Resources director, Williamson said she seizes every opportunity to engage with employees experiencing similar journeys and offer various resources and understanding.
“I’ve been an open book this whole entire journey, and some really great moments have come out of all this,” she said.
One such moment was not too long ago, when Williamson’s boss acknowledged how her transparency has helped normalize the disease at their workplace.
“Cancer is so common now — we all typically know someone who’s gone through it or is going through it — but it’s not always a death sentence,” she said. “So I think it really helps to be open and bring people along on my journey. … Because if someone looked at me now that my hair and eyelashes have grown back and I no longer look ‘sick,’ they would never know all the side effects I’m experiencing. It helps them to be a little more understanding if I’m not feeling well.”
Sharing her journey also allows family and friends to provide Williamson with much-needed support during particularly difficult times.
“I’ve been so fortunate to have the most incredible support group, and it was unbelievable to see how much people care,” she said. “It reminded me that I need to keep pushing for them.”
Williamson said that her sister, Karen, and best friend, Lisa, have been especially supportive, traveling from Michigan to Knoxville numerous times to help around the house and attend appointments with her. She and Lisa even took a special trip to Lake Tahoe, Nevada, to celebrate a cancer-free scan in November 2021.
“Staying connected and finding silver linings is so important,” Williamson said. “I couldn’t have done it without either of them.”
Williamson’s co-workers also have played an integral part in her journey, ultimately acting as her “second family.”
“They’ve seen the really tough days and have celebrated every milestone with me,” she said. “So many of them, along with family and friends, even made #TeamKathie shirts and bracelets to wear in a show of support” for her fight.
Williamson said she’s often looked to her two dogs — American mastiffs named Winston and Willow — for hope and comfort as well.
“I lived for them. They gave me so much love, joy and strength and kept me getting up each day, especially Winston,” she said. “He was so intuitive with how I was feeling and was just the sweetest.”
‘It pays to be stubborn’
Williamson attributed her resiliency to her “stubborn nature” and ability to understand and effectively communicate her needs to her oncology team.
In fact, per her request, it wasn’t until earlier this year that Williamson learned her doctor initially estimated a life expectancy of less than two years.
“I never let them tell me my prognosis because I didn’t want to know that,” she said. “I just feel like you have to make decisions that work best for you and speak up and be an advocate for yourself. And, sometimes, it pays to be stubborn.”
Although Williamson still undergoes immunotherapy treatments every four weeks, she remains hopeful the cancer stays in remission. Of course, there are still times of contemplation about the unpredictable time ahead; however, Williamson has fiercely chosen to not live in “limbo.”
“I try not to go down a rabbit hole of questions about ‘why’ because I can’t change the diagnosis or the cards I was dealt,” she said.
“I can’t let it keep me from moving on a path forward… All I can do is continue to always find the silver lining and enjoy life because it’s never guaranteed.”
