SAN ANTONIO – To meet Cathy Fold, you'd never know that she got the equivalent of a death sentence 10 years ago when she was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer at age 40.
She has undergone chemotherapy all these years and so much more.
"I've had radiation three times, and now I'm off radiation. I've had two surgeries. I had metastatic disease of the brain in 2013. I had surgery for that," said Fold. "Then in July I had some tumors removed from my liver."
Fold is being treated at the START Center for Cancer Treatment. Early on she said she made the mistake of going on the Internet and learning the statistics of metastatic breast cancer. She said she delayed making vacation plans from year to year as a result. Now she's got a new attitude.
She knows there will be more around the bend, but that's just another part of her challenge that she has met with a positive attitude and the philosophy that her breast cancer is less a deadly disease than a chronic condition.
Her physician, Dr. Steven Kalter, has been treating her with several medications, including Catsylla, which is believed to prolong life in cancer patients.
"With metastatic breast cancer, but also metastatic colon cancer, and even in some cases of metastatic lung cancer, we have been able to turn this acute, terrible illness that with treatment can ease into a good response and a decent quality of life," said Kalter.
Through it all, Fold has continued to work, helping teach LVN courses to aspiring nurses at Career Point College. She remains positive that her future looks bright.
"I think that's helped, having that attitude that I'm just going to deal when things crop up that are bad or negative. Just get through it and keep on living," she said.