TMB E57: Marlee, Kim, Lorraine Cancer Awareness

Tucson Business Radio

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Kim Adair, Founder of Butt Check Inc for Colorectal Cancer Awareness. A 501c3-Non-Profit.
Kim also is the CMO and founder of Women Under the Sun Events & Networking.
Office: 738 N 5th Avenue. Tucson, Arizona-85705 #220
Phone: 520-272-3270

In May of 2006, I had visited my doctor who asked why I hadn’t had my colonoscopy yet. Dr. Aikin of Lakewood Colorado had given me a referral months earlier. I had a symptom all this time.

My father had colon cancer and my grandmother passed from it.

My physician wasn’t happy with me to say the least and told me to get in immediately.

Of course, this time I got my bottom right in for my colonoscopy. When colon cancer runs in your family you don’t wait for the magic “50” to get one. (New American Cancer Society guidelines are now 45)

I knew nothing about colon cancer and deep down didn’t want to know. I was nervous. “What if I had it?” I asked my best friend Mo Lukens. She said simply, “Then you’ll deal with it.”

I had a cancerous polyp. After the initial shock, I did what my girlfriend said. I dealt with it. Dr. Aikin set me up with surgeon Dr. Mozia and told me I was in good hands.

After surgery, Dr. Mozia visited me in my room at Lutheran Medical Center. “You’re home free,” he said.

Those were the sweetest words I will ever hear!

During the follow-up, my surgeon asked if I had heard Katie Couric was coming to town. I’m going to have to meet her, I thought to myself. Her husband had died of colon cancer at 42.

She was seen on The Today Show getting her colonoscopy so others would do the same.

I attended the fundraiser lunch for Rocky Mountain Cancer Center and fill out an “ask Katie a question” card: “Why are more and more men & women getting colon cancer and what can we do about it?” I asked.

Get the word out about early detection, she said. Bingo. That’s exactly the response I was looking for. And with your help, that’s what I’m going to do.

So, get your “butt checked” and pass it on! If you get nervous, call me. I’ll even drive you there!

Kim moved to Tucson from Colorado to be near the work of some of the top cancer research in the world at Arizona Cancer Center. Aside from owning her own successful small businesses, she has 35 years of advertising and marketing background. Kim was a senior advertising executive for a popular Colorado magazine, creating several popular community leader print campaigns, along with her own cancer print campaigns.

Lori Gonzalaz
Citi/Homesmart
6781 E Calle de Plata
Tucson, AZ 85715
Phones: 520-979-7426
Email: gonzo1188@aol.com

My name is Lori Gonzales. I was born in raised in Tucson, AZ. I am from a large family that stretches from Chicago to Washington State. My parents moved here in 1957 and began our family. I have had my real estate license since 2005 and in August of 2018, I became employed with Citi as a Customer Service Agent.

In March of 2020, the pandemic was upon us and I began working from home. It was nicer to work from home than I anticipated because I crave social interaction and knew I would miss the camaraderie.

In September, I went to get my annual mammogram which was late this year due to covid. I had been told in September that I would need a hip replacement and scheduled that on Sept 28th.

Meanwhile, the week before I had to have a breast biopsy on a finding in my mammogram. On Sept. 29th, I received a call from my doctor who informed me I had breast cancer.

I am now in a pandemic, working from home, and have breast cancer…ugh! At this point, I am forced to dig deep and find the silver lining: I’m losing my hair, but can’t go anywhere due to covid so no one will see me.

I’m working for a great company with amazing benefits that allow me to get the treatment I need with time to do so and I have a granddaughter and a grandson who was born in June.

While treatment hasn’t been easy, I realize how many blessings I have. I am lucky that I did not get my mammogram any sooner because when it was discovered, the cancer was very new and small. Had I gotten my annual mammogram in June it may not have shown up and a year later could have been worse and possible spread since it contained an aggressive gene.

I try to stay as positive as possible as the more negativity you possess comes great anxiety which is never good. I will continue to fight and hopefully, come out the other end a better person.