In August 2023, Kat Kitchen was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of appendiceal signet ring cell adenocarcinoma, a cancer affecting fewer than 1 in 1.5 million people. Facing a grim prognosis, she sought care at UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she met surgical oncologist Maheswari Senthil, MD and medical oncologist Jason Zell, DO.
Kitchen underwent a 16-hour cytoreductive surgery followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), and later completed six months of systemic chemotherapy. Inspired by her care team’s compassion and expertise, she invested in her daughter’s dream spa, Apothek Aesthetic Lounge, which now offers beauty treatments tailored for cancer patients.
Now 62, Kitchen is cancer-free and continues to be monitored. She and her daughter will host a wellness booth at the UC Irvine Anti-Cancer Challenge on October 11, offering free red-light therapy to participants. Her story is a testament to resilience, expert care, and the healing power of giving back.