Please click the title of this post to write some caring thoughts to Kathy as she undergoes treatment.
Kathy Shapiro has developed stage 4 uterine cancer and only recently became aware of it while cycling & traveling through Morocco and Portugal last month.
She has been an active member of BCI since July 1, 1986, making her BCI member #288. Kathy regularly participates in BCI group rides (when she’s not abroad), has been on various remote trips, camping/biking excursions, attended countless club social events, has been on the Board of Directors, and has been a captivating speaker at our membership meetings.
As many of you know, Kathy is a world-traveler and has fulfilled her desire to visit countries far and wide - quite often by bicycle. If you’ve been lucky enough to ride alongside her, you’ve likely been treated to remarkable travelogs about her adventures solo-cycling in Alaska, and in countries throughout South America, Asia, and the Middle East.
She is also a generous fund-raiser for rides involving medical research and cures. The picture on this page is from the 2025 UCI Anti-Cancer Challenge, where Kathy rode as part of Team BCI. It’s a poignant reminder that cancer is an on-going fight that can affect so many of our family and friends at any given time.
Please reach out to Kathy! At this very difficult time she wants you to know that she loves hearing from us. She’s not up to visits, but she’d love to receive texts from us BCI'ers. You can also leave her a positive message here on this page by clicking on the title of this post above. Thank you!
The fight to defeat cancer continues.
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To Kathy’s Family and Dear Friends,
As I believe most of you now know, Kathy was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer on June 19 upon returning from a 7-week adventurous trip to Europe. She joined a bike tour in Morocco plus toured the hilly cities and small towns in Portugal, where she got to visit with friends and cousins. Kathy began to feel some discomfort and pain during the trip and by the time she arrived at the airport in Lisbon for her flight home, the pain had ramped up so the airport staff requested assistance to get Kathy through each of her airport connections. Upon picking her up from LAX, her sister Karen found her waiting at curbside in a wheelchair with an airport attendant. Kathy asked to be taken directly to the emergency room from LAX.
Kathy and Karen were in complete shock in the ER that night hearing not only the diagnosis of uterine cancer, but also the the list of places far beyond the uterus in Kathy's body where spots, lesions, and masses were found. We imagine this shock is the same for many, if not all of you.
Kathy’s pain, nausea, and discomfort before and after the first chemo session, which she had in the hospital, was unmanageable. She finally made the decision to go on Hospice Friday, July 3, and somehow due to the incredible help of family and friends, we pulled it together for her to come home on July 4. While we did experience some fireworks that weekend, they weren’t up in the sky.
Kathy began receiving attention from wonderful caregivers and her condition improved once she got home. For a brief time, we toyed with possibly revoking hospice. We delved into learning more about this particular cancer and her condition, and she made the decision to remain on hospice and discontinue life-preserving treatment. Her body structure already has so much damage to it, and she still is bed bound, so she would need to be medically transported on a gurney for every medical appointment. According to her oncologist, this cancer doesn’t usually travel to the bones, however, cancer was found in many of the bones throughout Kathy’s body. Due to the aggressive nature of this cancer, continuing treatment would be a very long and harsh process with low probability of remission for any length of time. If Kathy persued treatment, after chemo, she would likely need additional surgeries, both for removal and reconstruction, and she would endure a lot of additional suffering. Prolonging a life of disease, pain, limited mobility and suffering for the small chance of up to a few additional years, is not something she is choosing. Our family is very supportive of whatever choice she has made, and continues to make, because we love her and want her to live on her terms.
In order to have many symptom-managed hours in the day to still enjoy her life, Kathy is taking medication, which she has avoided all her life. She is upbeat and pragmatic. Her concern for the environment, her beautifully remodeled home, and everyone in her life, has not wavered. Kathy is still Kathy, and we are getting the most out of each day with her.
Kathy truly loves and appreciates all the love being sent her way via texts, emails, cards, etc.. Her energy for responding to each and every one is limited, but please don’t let that stop you from sending your love to Kathy.
We will continue to update you all as changes occur, and please feel free to forward to others who would like to know.
You all have meant the world to Kathy, and therefore to us.
Sincerely,
Kathy, Karen and Lisa
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Last Update July 25
Friends and Family of Kathy Shapiro,
Lisa and I are happy to report that Kathy is still doing quite well these past 2 weeks. She had a full house for several days with us 2 sisters, Karen and Lisa, her 2 Brothers-in-law, Phil and Martin, 3 of her nephews, Matthew, Steve and Jeff, and Jeff’s partner, Magali. Kathy has a healthy appetite and is recovering more strength by the day. She continues to be off all prescription meds, relying on managing pain with the amount of her activity and with an occasional dose of Advil. She is now regularly going up and downstairs in her home and even joined the family for dinner at the dinner table. Following our departure, she began staying downstairs more and more of the day, making her own meals, and taking care of several of her household chores. She has also begun taking outside walks around her complex and now, without the need of a walker. While Kathy’s progress continues to be very stable and improving, we plan to reduce the number of email updates to every 3 to 4 weeks, but we will let you know if her status changes significantly.
Thanks for all your well wishes and caring,
Karen and Lisa
