Breast Cancer Research Program
Kara Kenan Video (Text Version)
Kara Kenan, BCRP Peer Reviewer
"Cancer does not Happen in a Void"
It's the research behind the treatment that is so critical. You can't do this without that lived experience, that voice being part of this process. I think it's a really unique opportunity to sit on these panels as one of the experts. Right? I'm the expert in that lived experience and to sit on one of these panels to provide insight from that perspective and having been part of this process, where we are looking at what research studies to fund, I am grateful every day for what research brings to the table.
I was in the Air Force, in the Air National Guard, but I served active duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom. I am also a veteran, now a 90% disabled veteran, because of that, that cancer diagnosis, and everything that's come from it. I come from a long line of veterans, and so doing work that aligns with DoD is just interesting to me from that perspective.
I found the lump myself, in the shower. Thankfully, my diagnosis process went pretty quickly. I finally had the breast cancer index test, which indicated I wasn't really getting any additional benefit from continuing on hormonal treatments, so I was able to come off of that, and my body was really grateful for that, because that treatment was really difficult.
On a personal level, I'll always have the fear that my cancer is going to come back and metastasize. And so, to know that there's going to be more options when and if that time comes, that just brings me a lot of personal solace and peace. But also because of all of the people that I work with that are in that battle right now and knowing that there's work constantly going on to help them.
I think we are in a renaissance of what is happening with cancer treatments and diagnostics and all of this. There's so much going on right now, and it is so, all so very exciting. I'm excited that CDMRP is part of that.