BILLINGS — Hundreds gathered at Billings MetraPark Saturday for the American Cancer Society's annual Relay for Life event. It's one that focuses on bringing awareness to different types of cancers while raising funds for more research.
One of those participants was Billings resident Lana Koch, a woman who's been fighting stage 4 metastatic breast cancer for the past decade. She reflected on her heath journey, emphasizing the importance of not letting cancer define who she is as a person.
Koch is no stranger to hospitals.
"My dad, he had open heart surgery when I was in high school or college and I was just so impressed by the nurses," Koch said at Billings Clinic Thursday.
That incident spurred a fascination in Koch, one that turned into a full blown career.
“I started working professionally as a nurse at age 22," said Koch.
Little did the single mother of two know, she would be in and out of hospitals not only as a nurse, but as a patient.
"I started to have pain while I was walking on my right side and didn't know what I could not figure out what I did to that," Koch said.
It was in 2015 that Koch was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer that spread to her bones and brain. She's still fighting nearly ten years later.
"I counted one time how many IV chemotherapy drugs I've had and I've had probably at least a dozen or more different ones over the years," said Koch.
She hasn't let the years of treatment and pain take away from her life.
"If there's something that I know that I can do physically and I I've always done it, because I've always ridden horses since I was little, and I can still do it, I'm gonna do it," Koch said. "There's no reason I shouldn't."
Whether it's horseback riding, hiking, or cheering on her kids, Koch isn't just a cancer patient but a nurse, a music lover, and a mother.
"You just think about them and know that you have to do whatever you can, whatever's in your control, to make sure that you're here for them for as long as possible," said Koch.
She's living life to the fullest even if it's thrown her a couple of curve balls, hoping it inspires others in similar situations.
"That's what's important for me is to, you know, kind of show that, yes, I do have cancer. I am on treatment but I am still doing my thing, I am still living like I would any other time," Koch said.
