From stage IV breast cancer at 34 to cycling around Taiwan: Kathy on mindset and money
As medicine advances, the goal of cancer treatment has moved from simply living longer to living well. Breast cancer in particular is increasingly seen as a chronic condition people live with over the long term.
This episode of Pills and Bills welcomes Kathy, host of the podcast Kathy's Route 11. Diagnosed with stage I breast cancer at 34, she learned three and a half years later that it had spread to her liver — stage IV. She talks about how career changes, financial reorganisation and a shift in mindset helped her regain control of her life and fulfil her dream of cycling around Taiwan.
From stage I to stage IV
Kathy had been monitoring fibrocystic breast changes since a health check for an insurance application in her teens. At 34, a routine breast ultrasound found something abnormal, confirmed as early stage I breast cancer. Knowing little about cancer at the time, she went through a brief panic and then treatment, expecting life to return to normal after three and a half years. Then a follow-up visit showed the cancer had spread to her liver.
Rather than dwelling on 'why me', she turned her attention to her dream of a round-island bike ride while working closely with her care team. Illness may be beyond control, she realised, but the mindset you bring to it is yours.
Money and career trade-offs
Fighting cancer tests your body, but it also reorganises your finances and your career. Early on, Kathy tried to juggle work, exercise and meal preparation, only to find the high-pressure routine left her exhausted. After reviewing her private insurance and claim payouts, she resigned from her marketing role at an interior design firm, gave herself time to recover, and began working through a list of life goals.
For people living with stage IV disease, long-term self-paid medicines and medical costs are a heavy burden. Beyond planning medical insurance early, Kathy says, a stable financial footing is what lets you choose the treatment that best fits your quality of life when side effects or a change of medication come up.
From being cared for to caring for others
To give other stage IV patients a safe place to talk, Kathy started a stage IV breast cancer support community, where members share anxiety about drug resistance, experiences of switching treatment, and even goodbyes at the end of life.
That experience led her to train as a hospice volunteer. When supporting someone seriously ill, she suggests friends and family skip pressure-laden phrases like 'stay strong' or 'you'll get better'. Simply being there, offering good wishes, or admitting 'I don't know what to say, but I care about you' is often the warmest support.
Living in the present
Nine years into living with cancer, Kathy believes letting emotions flow and practising mindfulness matter enormously. Accept whatever you feel; when anxiety rises, steady yourself with deep breaths and by noticing the warmth or cold around you. Whether healthy or ill, finding that inner steadiness is what lets you make the choices that are right for you.
Pills and Bills unpacks the real problems that begin after diagnosis, every week.