Benefit to be held for cancer survivor Kim Goudy
Kim Goudy
Hope has returned for Kim (Renicker) Goudy of New Philadelphia, who just recently received news the colon cancer she has had for the past year is gone. Goudy has her health now, but the journey has left her with medical bills and extra expenses. She has not worked since her diagnosis.
A benefit pasta dinner will be held at the Carl C. Stoller VFW Post 1445 at 441 Park Ave. NW in New Philadelphia on March 19 from noon to 4 p.m. Tickets are $10, and there also will be a 50/50 raffle, Chinese auction, silent auction and bake sale.
As a cancer survivor, Goudy will face more years of frequent doctor visits and testing to check for continued health. She has been taking it one day at a time.
In the beginning, unrelated issues led Goudy to see a doctor who suggested she should get a colonoscopy.
“Still, I didn’t even make the appointment right away,” Goudy said. “I went in for just a routine colonoscopy. And when I came out of the procedure, (my doctor) told me that he found a mass. We were just kind of in shock. We didn’t even know what to say or ask because we weren’t expecting that. That’s why I’ve been telling everybody I know — family and friends — it can happen to you, and you’ll have no symptoms at all.”
Goudy was first diagnosed with stage four colon cancer almost one year ago, and cancer also was found in her liver. Goudy persevered, and after having a colon resection to remove the mass, one doctor gave her two years to live based on if she only had chemotherapy alone.
“Everything was a whirlwind after we found out that I had cancer. Everything just moved really fast,” Goudy said.
Three weeks after the colon resection, Goudy had a procedure to place a port for chemotherapy treatments. She started the chemo and was scheduled to have treatments every two weeks for 12 treatments.
“In the meantime I went and saw a liver surgeon because I thought I just want to get this cancer out of my liver,” Goudy said. “I just did not want to wait. I was not giving myself a death sentence. I’m like I want to get this stuff done so I can give myself better chances.”
After having 65% of her liver removed and her gallbladder removed, her doctors agreed to reduce the total number of chemo treatments to eight. Goudy feels fortunate she didn’t have as severe a reaction to the chemo as other patients have had. The main side effect she experienced was fatigue.
Though she was no longer working and was trying to stay away from the public after her liver surgery, she had a scare with a bad infection and COVID-19 that landed her in the Cleveland Clinic main hospital for a five-day stay.
“There was a lot that happened in this past year, but my main message to people is get that colonoscopy,” Goudy said.
Through her ordeal she learned the age to get a colonoscopy was lowered from 50 to 45 because there are now many people getting colon cancer at a young age.
Goudy is thankful for the many people who have helped her so far during her journey back to defeat colon cancer.
“If I had to get into names, it would be a paragraph long or more. Everyone has been so supportive, and there were even people that I don’t know that were praying for us,” Goudy said.
She and her husband Terry like being self-sufficient, which makes it hard when something so out of control like cancer happens.
“It took me a while to just relax and realize these people really want to help, and it was amazing. It was totally amazing,” Goudy said.
People stopped by with flowers, meals and gift cards just to say they were thinking of her and wishing her the best.
When she was first diagnosed, Goudy spent many hours at her kitchen table researching online.
“Sometimes it’s a good thing. Sometimes it’s a bad thing because you would read stories about people that were just devastating, and then your mind goes there. You think worst case scenario — that you’re on your deathbed and there’s no hope — but then you read something else. There are people surviving longer with stage four colon cancer, and treatments change every day. They get better every day. So that’s what I’m going to focus on.”
A weight has lifted now that she is almost a year out and seeing more positives. Goudy was happy to report some recent scans came back as no evidence of disease.
The doctor who gave her two years to live now says she’s increased her chances to live with the things she’s done and her good test results. She also keeps in mind what her liver surgeon said to her before the procedure: “I am going in with a curative intent.”
“I’m hoping that I can continue on, on that track. From what I read, the recurrence rate is high in my kind of cancer. I just really don’t even want to worry about that,” Goudy said.
She is hoping her next tests in June remain clear and her blood work will be good. “That’s what we’re hoping for.”
Kim and Terry Goudy have three adult children: Hunter of Canton, Taryn of Columbus and Hannah of New Philadelphia.
For more information about the benefit, call Stacey Williamson at 330-407-2424.