The atmosphere at Children’s Mercy Hospital South waiting room was tense. The doctor, wearing his long, white lab coat, entered. It was late and the family gathered around him anxiously anticipating the diagnosis. It was not a polyp: it was cancer.
Katarina Qamar, freshman, was in second grade when she was diagnosed with lymphoma, a cancer occurring in the lymph nodes of the body. While her classmates were participating in school activities and Daisy Scouts, she would have to undergo treatment for cancer.
The tumor in Qamar’s lower intestine and colon started out as an innocent stomach ache.
“My mom thought it was something I ate,” Qamar said.
Her mother figured it was from bad food and it would pass. As the ache continued the concern grew as well.
“I was in my room sometimes and it just really hurt,” Qamar said.
After a visit to the doctors office, Qamar and her family proceeded to Children’s Mercy. Their initial thoughts were the pain was a polyp, a small growth on the surface of a mucous membrane. Sadly, after the visit to the hospital, Qamar and her family discovered it was something much worse than a polyp.
Seven-year-old Qamar had surgery to remove the tumor from her colon and also had a colonoscopy, an exam of her colon to make certain all the cancer had been removed. Following the surgeries, she underwent chemotherapy as part of her treatment and endured numerous medical tests.
“I spent several months in and out of the hospital. My hair fell out and I missed a lot of school,” Qamar said.
Now Qamar is 15 years old, and has been cancer free for eight years. She regularly volunteers at Children’s Mercy now. Qamar feels it is only fitting to give back to the community who saved her life.
“Since my cancer, I have been really involved with Children’s Mercy teen advisory,” Qamar said. “It is for people like me, who have been there. It’s to help make it better for other people who are there now,”
She volunteers there twice a month and is aspiring to be a doctor. Ever since she was a little girl playing check-up, Qamar has dreamed of being a real doctor. Her experience at Children’s Mercy and being there so long has reinforced the dream.
“I learned how serious diseases like cancer could be. It was a meaningful experience to me because I can contribute to Children’s Mercy,” Qamar said. “It feels nice to help them after they helped me so much.”
Qamar refuses to let her cancer affect her now. She is currently running for Sophomore Class President, is on the swim team and also on the lacrosse team.
“I am a cancer survivor and I am so lucky the people at Children’s Mercy were there for me,” Qamar said.
