My Story
This is more than a biography. It’s a story of survival, purpose and flow.
There was a time when I didn’t know if I’d wake up to see another sunrise.
I remember the silence in the doctor’s office. The way the word “incurable” wrapped itself around me like a fog I couldn’t see through.
Stage 4. Rare. Aggressive. Cholangiocarcinoma. A cancer most people hadn’t heard of and one I’d have to learn to live with.But that wasn’t the start of my journey.
Long before cancer, I was already navigating life with a rare genetic condition, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. It made everyday life more complex and unpredictable. Then came cancer. Then came caregiving. Then came cancer again. Yes, again.
Because just as I had begun to rebuild, just as I had stepped into a life of helping others, I was re-diagnosed.
And I chose not to fight. I chose to flow.
From Fear to Flow
There’s a certain clarity that comes when your life is cracked open.
For me, that clarity turned into a calling.
I stopped asking, “Why me?”
And started asking, “What now?”
I began speaking out. Fundraising. Sharing my story. Connecting with researchers, patients, carers, and survivors. I created a platform to elevate others, because I know how isolating it can be when you're navigating something no one around you understands.
What I Do Now
Today, I’m a speaker, advocate, columnist, and Elevation Mentor.
I champion rare cancer research. I raise awareness for survivorship care, especially through the CanSupport “What Now” program.
I guide people back to themselves, through their healing, through their fear, and back into their life’s purpose.
I live in flow with my diagnosis.
I wake up each day with one question:
How can I use what I’ve been through to make someone else’s journey lighter?
Why It Matters
Because when you’ve been face-to-face with mortality, you realise what truly counts: Moments of connection. Feeling seen. Being reminded that you are more than your body, you are still you.
I don’t offer cures. I offer companionship.
I offer truth, hope, tools, and stories.
And I offer the reassurance that you’re not alone in this.
You’re Invited
Whether you’ve just been diagnosed, you’re caring for someone who has, or you’re still learning how to live again, there’s a place for you here.
This space is also for those who are simply seeking to reconnect with themselves.
If you’re feeling lost, overwhelmed, or like you’ve drifted from your sense of self, you are welcome here, too.
I share tools that have helped me breathe through panic, calm the mind, and return to presence. You don’t need a diagnosis to deserve care. You don’t need a crisis to seek healing. If you're looking for wellbeing resources, emotional resilience tools, or just a softer way to live,I can help.
This space is for:
Patients who need support beyond the hospital room
Carers who are exhausted and need a lifeline
Survivors who are asking “What now?”
Anyone seeking guidance in their wellbeing journey
Advocates, researchers, and everyday people who want to create change
Together, we are elevating the story of what it means to truly live. Not in fight. But in flow.
In the Media
Karen has been featured on Kintsugi Heroes, GI Cancer Institute, and Relay For Life.
She speaks regularly on survivorship, rare cancer, and advocacy.
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