More than a greeting: Kerri's story of survival and service

When patients walk through the doors of the Polly and Bill Van Dyke Cancer Center at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Milwaukee, many are greeted with a warm smile and heartfelt welcome from Kerri Kilbourne. What they may not know, though, is that Kerri has walked the same path they’re on.

Kerri began working at the front desk in October 2024, but her connection to the cancer center started before that. In 2023, she was sitting in the same waiting room, facing a new diagnosis of breast cancer.

“I really never questioned if I’d get cancer,” Kerri shared. “It was more so a matter of when.”

Her father was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, so when her own diagnosis came, she wasn’t surprised.

Kerri’s cancer journey started with a breath of relief when it was thought that she was stage 0, meaning that the cancer was contained within her breast ducts. A lumpectomy followed, and she was prepared to move on. 

However, her pathology results showed that the cells were malignant, which meant another lumpectomy was needed.

Soon after, her doctors discovered that she had a high level of HER-2 positive cells, meaning the cancer was aggressive and fast growing.

“What started as catching it early turned into something much bigger,” Kerri said. “I went from the stage 0 diagnosis to stage 1 along with two surgeries, 12 rounds of chemotherapy, 20 rounds of radiation, monthly injections and five years of daily medication. My doctors are great, though, and we’ve got it under control.”

Through it all, Kerri chose hope and positivity. Her two golden retrievers, McPaddy and Rory, kept her moving. She walked them separately when she wasn’t strong enough to handle them both, staying active even when fatigue hit.

“They saved me,” she said. “I set alarms just so I’d get up and walk them. They needed me, and I needed them.”

Kerri also launched a podcast, The Funny Things About Cancer, to openly talk about the nuances of a disease that many people may now know about. And when someone at the cancer center announced their retirement, Kerri knew what her next move would be.

“I knew that was the job I wanted,” Kerri said. “I had a bigger job before, but this felt like a calling. I wanted to be the person patients could look at and say, ‘You did it, and I can too.’”

Today, as Kerri continues her own journey with cancer, she offers more than just support to those walking a similar path — she offers proof of resilience and a bright, hopeful presence in what can often feel like a dark time.