WILKES-BARRE — Aimee Kearney is telling her story because she wants to prevent others from experiencing what she went through in her fight against colorectal cancer.
“I’m typically a very private person, but if I can help just one person avoid what I have recently gone through, it is worth every bit of vulnerability,” Aimee said. “I want to share my journey over the past year and a half with you.”
You can already see how strong Aimee is, and when you sit across from her, you can tell that she is genuine in her desire to make people aware of what could happen if they ignore any signs of something being wrong inside their bodies.
“Don’t procrastinate in getting your regular check-ups, like routine blood work and colonoscopy,” Aimee said. “If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for your family. They want you to be healthy and create many more memories together.”
Aimee, 45, will host an event to raise awareness about colorectal cancer called “Aimee’s Story,” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 20, in the Burke Auditorium at the McGowan School of Business at King’s College.
The occasion is free and open to the public. It is recommended to register, and it can be done at wilkes-barre.city/colorectalcancerawareness.
Aimee’s story
At the start of the summer of 2022, Aimee began to experience pain when swallowing.
“I ignored it for the next few months and thought it would go away,” she said. “When September came and my friends started asking why I was struggling to swallow, I knew it was time to contact my family doctor.”
Aimee mentioned that she had been dealing with IBS and acid reflux for the past 25 years, so her doctor suggested scheduling a barium swallow test and a referral to see a gastroenterologist.
“He also recommended getting new blood work done while waiting for the next available appointment,” Aimee said. “I usually hold onto the lab slip for too long, but this time I felt the need to go right away.”
Aimee said she was not prepared for what was to come. She was working full time with two children and assisting with her 1-month-old nephew.
“I wasn’t feeling great, but that was normal for me,” she said. “I dealt with daily stomach issues and lack of sleep. I went for the blood work on a Friday morning. Around 5 p.m. that night, my doctor called, which was very surprising, given that he would call on a Friday night, with my blood work results.”
Diagnosis
Aimee mentioned that her doctor asked if she was able to stand up and informed her that her lab results were very concerning — her hemoglobin was an extremely low 5.4. By way of comparison, an 11 is considered anemic.
“I told him I was planning to babysit my nephew that night,” Aimee said. “But he told me I needed to go to the ER and receive a blood transfusion.”
Despite saying she felt fine and didn’t need to go to the ER, the doctor then said: ‘I’m not asking you to go, I’m telling you. This is very dangerous, and you need blood immediately.’”
So Aimee and her father, Mayor George Brown, went to the ER. When she arrived, they repeated the blood work because they could not believe how well she was functioning with such a low blood count. Those results came back worse at a 5.2, so Aimee spent the night in the ER receiving two pints of blood.
Aimee mentioned that the emergency room doctor suspected she might have an ulcer due to her ongoing stomach problems, so she suggested having an endoscopy and colonoscopy at the same time. The procedure was scheduled for two days later.
Aimee revealed that her colonoscopy showed a walnut-sized tumor in her rectum, which was a complete surprise to her as she had overlooked the symptoms.
After receiving the new diagnosis, Aimee was directed to a colorectal surgeon who recommended a proctectomy and permanent colostomy.
Aimee wasn't mentally prepared for such a complex surgery, so she sought a second opinion. The alternative presented to her involved intense chemo and radiation with a 50/50 chance of avoiding the intimidating surgery and colostomy. The understanding was that if it didn't succeed, she would then require the surgery.
Treatment
In November 2022, Aimee began 30 sessions of radiation treatment with oral chemo. In March 2023, she commenced five rounds of IV chemo alongside five months of oral chemo. She mentioned that she would undergo scopes to monitor the progress of the treatments.
Regrettably, in July, Aimee was informed that the treatments had not been effective, and she would have to undergo surgery. On September 12, she underwent a 10.5-hour surgery, during which her rectum, anus, and 80% of her colon were removed, leading to a permanent colostomy and reconstruction. Thankfully, the surgery was successful, completely eliminating the cancer.
Aimee spent six days in the hospital before being transferred to the skilled nursing and rehabilitation center at Allied Services' Wilkes-Barre location to recuperate and undergo therapy to improve her mobility and self-care abilities.
Aimee mentioned that the surgery came with many limitations, including being unable to sit for the initial three months. She was transported to her follow-up appointments by Trans-Med ambulance. Eventually, she was permitted to sit, initially for short periods of five minutes.
Aimee expressed that what she had anticipated as the most challenging part – the colostomy – surprisingly turned out to be the easiest aspect of her recovery. She acknowledged that her life has changed permanently, but she found it remarkable how the very thing she feared ended up saving her life. She expressed gratitude for the advancements in technology every day, waking up appreciative to be alive.
Support & inspiration
Aimee repeatedly conveyed her eternal gratitude to her family and friends for their help and support during the most difficult times throughout her journey.
Reflecting on the past, Aimee recalled feeling extremely fatigued, sleeping only a few hours each night, experiencing discomfort after eating, and losing 20 pounds in a month, which she strangely found exciting.
Aimee mentioned that if it hadn't been for the swallowing issue that prompted her to seek medical attention and undergo the recommended blood work, she might not have been alive today.
She added that the reason for her swallowing problem was never identified.
At the time, Aimee was only 44, so she pointed out that she wouldn't have been due for a regular colonoscopy until she was at least 45 based on the new guidelines.
One crucial lesson Aimee learned is not to disregard even the smallest signs and symptoms. She emphasized the importance of timely routine tests like blood work and colonoscopy, highlighting the potential prevention benefits of early detection.
Aimee expressed feeling very grateful for the many prayers she received during her journey.
“I can never thank all of them enough for praying for me,” she said.
Wednesday’s function
Aimee Kearney will talk about her experience of finding out she had colorectal cancer, going through treatment, surgeries, and recovery, and finally becoming cancer-free.
She hopes that her story will motivate other young adults to recognize the symptoms and undergo screening.
The event will also feature a discussion panel with doctors from Geisinger and Commonwealth Health. The discussion will be led by Dr. Thomas Mangan, an Emeritus Gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Physicians from Geisinger include Dr. Julie Jiang, Radiation Oncology; Dr. Thomas Erchinger, Colon and Rectal Surgery; Dr. Ahmad Hanif, Hematology Oncology; and Dr. Duane Deivert, Gastroenterology.
Commonwealth Health physicians are Dr. Karthik Penumetsa, Gastroenterology, and Dr. Essam Almeky, Family Medicine.
Statistics indicate that Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) has a higher incidence of colorectal cancer.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in our state, after lung cancer.
The event aims to increase participants' understanding of colorectal cancer symptoms, the significance of knowing one’s family history with colorectal cancer, and the importance of starting screening at age 45.
