My name is Katie Harkin and I was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer in April 2023. This came as a complete shock to myself and my family. I couldn’t believe my diagnosis!
My best friend joined several cancer Facebook groups in order to start researching treatment options for me. She told me not to join these groups as there were posts that were not very positive. A couple of days later she told me about a post from a patient named Larry Boyer who had Stage IV pancreatic cancer with mets to his liver, (my diagnosis), who talked about his positive preliminary results with Williams Cancer Center. I asked my best friend if she could reach out to Larry via Facebook Messenger and see if he would be willing to speak with myself and my husband about his treatment.
Larry was so willing to talk with us to tell us about his experience! I could totally relate to him as my diagnosis was pretty much the same.
After this, we had a videoconference consult with Dr. Williams who I found to be extremely knowledgeable, kind, empathetic, brilliant, and concerned about me as a patient. At the end of the videoconference, it was an easy decision to move forward with the treatment.
In the meantime, I shared with my Oncologist that I was going to travel to Mexico for three treatments because the odds he gave me of chemotherapy only being effective 50% of the time for pancreatic cancer patients was not good enough odds for me, thus my determination to do additional research and find another type of treatment to add to my chemo regime.
I traveled to Cabo San Lucas three times, in my off-chemo weeks of 4, 5, and 6 and had the three treatments with Dr. Williams: One in June, July, and in August. His staff was amazing, kind, extremely professional, and took all measures to ensure that I was comfortable while I was in the hospital for the treatments.
Dr. Williams met with us before and after each treatment to give us his insight of how each treatment had gone, which was all good! He explained the procedure in detail and ensured that my husband and I had all of our questions answered.
He took a very genuine interest in me as a patient and wanted to ensure that we were comfortable with the procedure.
Fast forward to early November 2023: I had a PET scan where Dr. Williams told me that I had “no evidence of the disease” and that there was no cancer on my Pet scan. I was elated and so very thankful to him and his amazing medical team!
Fast forward to February 2024: I just had another PET scan where Dr. Williams told me that my Pet scan was clean, didn’t see anything from a cancer standpoint, and that there was no evidence of the disease! Again, the best possible news that he could give me!
Dr. Williams suggested taking a break from chemo at some point to let my body recover from the side effects. I have had 24 rounds so far. This will be highly considered after my next CT scan with contrast which is scheduled for March 11th.
Dr. Williams will continue to monitor my case every three months alternating between a Pet scan and a CT scan with contrast. He also recommended that I take a supplement called Capsol-T which is a method of controlling cancer where his patients have had good results. I have ordered this supplement and will begin taking as soon as it arrives.
Dr. William’s treatment truly made the difference in my life! I am so grateful and appreciative to him for his cutting-edge medical treatment for my pancreatic cancer! I am feeling good and have resumed all daily activities that I enjoyed before I got this diagnosis. I trust Dr. Williams implicitly and even had a fecal transplant in December which he recommended to boost my immune system and help the microbiome in my gut. He told me on our videoconference this week that my results were amazing and that patients who only do chemotherapy don’t ever achieve these kinds of results.
I am also especially thankful to Larry Boyer who I stay in contact with, asking him all kinds of questions, and for the time he spent sharing his positive story about Williams Cancer Institute.
Thank you for the opportunity to tell my story!
Dr. Williams is truly brilliant!
Best,
Katie Harkin
