Colorectal cancer survivor found hope at Mount Sinai

With the support of Mount Sinai Hospital’s Cancer Care Clinic and a dedicated care team, Kate navigated treatment and is now living cancer-free. She wants to offer hope to other younger adults with colorectal cancer.

The instant Kate received her colorectal cancer diagnosis, she felt the identity she had known disappear. 

“The person I thought I was – mother, partner, daughter, friend, sister – was replaced with person with cancer,” said Kate. “I thought I’d be the last person to get cancer. I drank green juice every morning, was super active, meditated and was healthy.” 

Upon receiving her diagnosis, Kate was immediately referred to Mount Sinai Hospital’s Fertility Clinic for fertility preservation since her cancer treatments would make her infertile. While she was already a mother to a daughter (who was born at Mount Sinai), she was unsure if she wanted more children.

Kate’s cancer diagnosis forced her to make choices about her family and health that she hadn’t prepared for. 

At this time, Kate was also referred to Mount Sinai’s Chris Hugh Sharp Cancer Centre, which is home to one of the largest cancer programs in Ontario. The centre is affiliated with the University of Toronto and partnered with Princess Margaret Cancer Centre to provide a full range of leading-edge treatments. This includes innovative drug therapies, specialized surgeries and other targeted therapies.

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Kate’s care team at Mount Sinai included Dr. Christine Brezden-Masley, Medical Oncologist and Medical Director of Sinai Health’s Cancer Program, Dr. Jonathan Hunter, Consultant Psychiatrist, and Jordan Rivera, Nurse Practitioner.

Dr. Brezden-Masley helped Kate understand her diagnosis and oversaw her treatment. She also helped her navigate all the unexpected moments that come with a cancer diagnosis.  

“Colorectal cancer is unfortunately on the rise in younger adults, for reasons that are not entirely clear and are the focus of ongoing research,” said Dr. Brezden-Masley. “This group has unique medical and psychosocial needs that are not always adequately addressed by our current colorectal cancer standards of practice. Issues related to fertility, body image, parenting, finance and careers, and coping with fear of recurrence have unique considerations in the young adult population.”

Mount Sinai’s Cancer Care Clinic has skilled, multidisciplinary care teams who support those patients as they learn to cope with their unique set of challenges.

Kate now refers to her Mount Sinai care team as her "holy trinity” — “When I met Jordan Rivera at my first appointment, I felt a glimmer of hope,” she said. “His words of wisdom and reassurances were a lifeline, both during and after treatment. Dr. Brezden-Masley helped me understand what I was up against and had a battle plan ready to go. And Dr. Hunter supported me through moments when I was faced with terrifying news, overwhelming decisions and had feelings of despair.”  

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Dr. Jonathan Hunter, a Psycho-oncologist, helped Kate navigate the mental and social challenges of living with cancer. “Kate did a great job recruiting help and support through psychiatry, social work, friends and family,” reflected Dr. Hunter. “Over the course of her treatment there were ups and downs, however Kate worked with her supports and focused on the here-and-now of her life.”  

After her chemotherapy treatment ended, Kate went on to do twenty-five rounds of radiation at The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and is now living cancer free. 

“Kate is a shining example of what excellent care can yield,” said Jordan. “She has become a role model and an advocate for ‘young’ cancer patients, cancer research and for the health-care system at large. Seeing her still with us today has been one of the greatest privileges of our careers”.

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Despite the many challenges she faced within its walls, Kate says Mount Sinai will always be a magical place for her. “It’s where I gave birth to my beautiful daughter. It’s where one of my best friends works. And it’s where my life was saved.” 

Kate says that cancer is a deeply personal experience, but she wants her story to give hope to anyone who is facing their own cancer diagnosis. 

“More young people are being diagnosed with cancer, which is devastating,” she said. “But we’re surviving. We’re going on to live long, beautiful, meaningful lives — and it’s thanks to places like Mount Sinai that this is happening. The cancer club is the absolute worst, but its members are amazing.”