Patient says research a link to treatment

Kathy Devlin-Collicott knows her body.

Seeking as natural treatment as possible since she was a teenager, the 62-year-old Polson resident opted a lesser-medical route upon her cancer diagnosis.

“I’m not all anti-medical. I have just observed so many people, the minute they hear the ‘c-word,’ they are putty in peoples’ hands. They are scared,” Devlin-Collicott said.

Her journey began on Oct. 8, 2012, when she discovered a lump on the side of her breast.

Drinking coffee, Devlin-Collicott’s arm brushed up against her side when she noticed a hard little lump.

She was diagnosed with stage I HER2+ Inductal breast cancer.

From the very beginning, Devlin-Collicott said she was not scared of the diagnosis.

“The big thing for me, I’ve been around cancer, not alot and not directly in my family, but very good friends… My big thing when I was first told was I am not afraid of this,” she said.

Right away, Devlin-Collicott dove into researching her diagnosis and various treatment options.

She said she thought “I’m not going to let this send me reeling” as the same news did to friends through the years.

Lisa Bertoglio, RN-OCN at Provider St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson, explained that she observed Kathy “taking ownership” of her body following the diagnosis.

“Kathy came in, had clearly had done her reasearch” and discussed with doctors what she was willing to do and what she wasn’t willing to do, Bertoglio recalled.

Immediately, Devlin-Collicott adopted the mentality of winning.

“I can kick it’s (behind). I’m not afraid,” she said.

Once her doctor told her the diagnosis, Devlin-Collicott said she took a little bit of time to pray, reflect and research her options.

Deciding to continue with natural treatment, as she had most of her life, Devlin-Collicott discussed her decision with the doctor, who did not take the news well.

She said the doctor told her in so many words “you’re going to be in a lot of pain and you’re going to die,” Devlin-Collicott recalled.

Changing her medical team, Devlin-Collicott said she now has medical and natural professionals that support her and work with her, listening to what she wants.

Natural treatments worked for Devlin-Collicott, who along the way wanted to take care of cancer before getting a hip replacement.

Eventually, the cancer was found to be in her spine.

Obtaining a medical marijuana card, Devlin-Collicott said that cannibis treatment kept her from experiencing extreme grogginess like other medications did.

Eventually, Devlin-Collicott did do medical treatments, acknowledging that her journey wouldn’t have been as long or grueling if she had done medical from the start.

“It would’ve been so much easier,” she said, adding that the idea did not sit well with her.

The decision to seek natural treatment didn’t sit well with some of her immediate family.

Understanding their frustration, Devlin-Collicott said that at the end of the day, she explained that she felt she knew going natural was the best decision.

The only visible side effect upon taking a glimpse at Devlin-Collicott is hairloss.

Other than that, she said she didn’t experience side effects from her medicines along the way.

Devlin-Collicott advises anyone diagnosed with cancer, or any illness, to research what the disease and diagnosis mean, and what types of treatment are available.

She also recommends patients read the book “Outsmarting Your Cancer.”