Giving Hope to Young Female Cancer Survivors
Published in Today's News Herald
DATE
Kimberly Yee-Houlios, a 22-year-old cancer survivor of 15 years, was told she would never be able to conceive. On April 14, Kimberly was pleasantly surprised when her doctor announced the good news. She was pregnant.
In September of 1993, at the tender age of seven, Kimberly was diagnosed with Wilms’ Tumor stage III-IV, a rare form of kidney cancer that primarily affects children. It is the most common malignant tumor of the kidneys in children. Kimberly had to undergo a radiation treatment each day for one month, along with surgery and three types of chemotherapy to combat the cancer.
Due to the damage on her ovaries caused by the extensive radiation treatment, Kimberly was rendered infertile. They tried different fertility techniques, only to find out her body was not responding. In July of 2007, when Kimberly was only 21 years old, and after months of trying to become pregnant, she was told she was pre-menopausal and there was little to no hope of having a child without the aid of a donor egg. However, Kimberly and her husband, Alex Houlios, did not lose hope.
On the fateful day in April, Kimberly and Alex were pleased to find out she was indeed pregnant and due November 25. They have named their miracle baby girl Kaidyn Mei Houlios.
To celebrate Kimberly and Alex’s new baby girl they flew from their home in Fayetteville, NC back to Lake Havasu City to visit with friends and family. During their stay, the Cancer Association of Havasu threw Kimberly a surprise baby shower. At the baby shower the members shared advice, stories and memories of Kimberly’s past and of their own pregnancies.
During the baby shower, Kimberly, as well as Kathy Hodel, was interviewed by the local channel TV45. Hodel is a member of the Cancer Association of Havasu and serves on the board of the Havasu Community Health Foundation.
“You have wonderful parents, you are the success of our medical community, you are the success of our school system, you are the success of everything that is ‘right’ in Lake Havasu,” Hodel told Kimberly during the interview.
When asked if Kimberly had any advice to share with other female cancer survivors trying to conceive, she said, “It is never too late, never too impossible or unlikely, to have a miracle baby of your own. Be patient, never lose hope and have faith.”