Kerri Kinkade of Connecticut was a pioneer in her field. She was one of the few women to graduate in information technology during the Vietnam War. Throughout her career, she worked in technical support and retired a little over a decade ago.
Her battle with pancreatic cancer began during the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Her symptoms included loss of appetite and later jaundice. Due to the circumstances of the pandemic and it being the holiday season, she had to wait until the New Year to see a doctor about her symptoms. When she finally did, they found a mass on her pancreas. Knowing that both of her parents died of different cancers, she understood that the term “mass” was not good news. Kerri was ultimately diagnosed with Stage 2 pancreatic cancer, which fortunately meant she was able to undergo surgery along with 12 cycles of chemotherapy.
She describes the side effects of her treatment cycles as well as her outlook. Kerri also shares her choice to advocate for herself to continue doing the things she loves, such as traveling. During her treatment, she participated in a support group for pancreatic cancer patients where they shared their unique perspectives and experiences. Inspired by their stories, Kerri decided to compile them into a book, which took two years to gather and compose. Initially, the idea was for this information to be in a pamphlet or smaller informational resource, but she includes patients with all different stages and locations of tumors, along with insights from caregivers. Kerri explains she wanted to create a resource that provided information she looked for when she was first diagnosed, as she wanted patients to find a case that resembled theirs to give them a means of hope and better understanding through the process.
Join us for this wholesome episode of the Project Purple Podcast to learn more about Kerri’s story and her book, “Living Your Life with Pancreas Cancer.”
To connect with Kerri, or learn more about her book, visit her website!
