Kathy Granara Skerry
Kathy Granara Skerry was diagnosed with Pancreatic Camcer on September 15, 2005 at the age of 52. She was considered “one of the lucky ones” as she was a candidate for the Whipple surgery, which is considered the
“mother of all operations” and the only hope for a cure.
Dr. Carlos Fernandez of the Massachusetts General Hospital performed the Whipple surgery on October 20, 2005. After a successful recovery from surgery, in December of 2005, Kathy received daily radiation and the chemotherapy, 5-FU, 24/7 that continued for seven weeks. After a brief and well-deserved break, Kathy’s oncologist, Dr. Andrew Zhu, also of the Mass General, began her on a new chemotherapy treatment in February 2006. She received infusions of Gemzar every other week until her last treatment in November 2006. From December 2006 to February 2008 all CT scans and PET scans remained clear of any signs of cancer. On March 15, 2008 Kathy was informed of a recurrence of the cancer. She was on chemotherapy taking Gemzar and Tarceva to fight off the cancer.
Kathy was strong and optimistic as she fought her battle. She was an inspiration to all who knew her. She was determined to raise awareness and funds for research to develop a new and better treatment to stop this “silent killer”.
It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we must regretfully inform you that Kathy passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Tuesday, April 21, 2009.
Kathy’s courage and determination in the face of insurmountable odds will always be an inspiration in all of our lives.
In honor of Kathy’s memory, our Annual walks and events will continue. Kathy may have lost her hard fought battle but we will continue to fight the war against pancreatic cancer.
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank for you for your support. The outpouring of love and prayers for Kathy and our family has been overwhelming.