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Cancer Survivor Says Heed Warnings

Publication Date:4/17/2008 1:54:00 PM

Faces in the crowd: Cancer survivor says heed warnings

By Valerie Sweeten

4/17/08: Alaina Kurz, a Willowbrook-area resident, never realized that getting a second opinion for a medical condition could be the difference between life and death.

Kurz, 50, sought the opinion of Dr. Lisa Chen when a bloody polyp appeared one day after she had been suffering stomach trouble. Chen, a surgeon at the Colon & Rectal Clinic at 800 Peakwood, found colorectal cancer in Kurz, who was only 43 in 2001.

Prior to this polyp, Kurz had seen two doctors for her condition with no hint that colon cancer could be the problem.
Colorectal screenings — often suggested for people 50 or older — detectpolyps, which can be removed before they become cancerous.

For Kurz, who had no family history of cancer, the discovery was a pure surprise. "I hadn´t felt good for about two years with problems with my digestive system," she said.

In March 2001, a biopsy was ordered on the rectal mass and T1 cancer — an early stage of the disease — was detected.

Chen said Kurz did herself a service by getting checked again.

"This was very early stage cancer that was curable with surgery and no chemotherapy or radiation. If caught early, you can get the polyps before they have a chance to grow," she said.

The only good thing about the cancer is that it is avoidable, Chen said.

"Any kind of the bleeding from the bowel should not be ignored. It´s one of the most preventable cancers there is. One in 17 people are diagnosed, and I think this is going to improve from aggressive screenings," she said.

Kurz´s surgery removed nearly a two-inch wide portion of her colon.

After one week in the hospital and 14 days at home, Kurz returned to work at Hewlett-Packard, 20555 State Highway 249, as an executive administrative assistant.

Husband, Peter Kurz, and daughter, Shelby Bunting, worried during the two-month process, but Kurz´s spirits filled the family with hope.

Bunting, 19, was 12 when her mother was diagnosed with the cancer.

"I´m so grateful she´s OK," she said.

"You still worry the cancer might come back, but it´s been 7 years. She was strong even during her weakest time in the hospital. She kept a smile on her face the entire time. I feel so lucky she survived."

Kurz, originally from Point Pleasant, moved to the Houston Heights, eventually settling in the Willowbrook area.

For the first five years after surgery, Kurz went to see Chen for three-month interval checkups.

Today Kurz focuses on eating healthy, exercising, spending time with old friends and traveling.

"I feel very fortunate. It could´ve practically ruined my life. Early detection is the key. Don´t be afraid. You have to face it, and then it can be resolved. Cancer can be avoided. You won´t have to go through what I went through," she said.

by Valerie Sweeten