KAYAK: A Young Woman's Air Ambulance Call

The language barrier and machine-gun toting guerillas were among Katie Hilleke’s greatest worries as she set out for a kayaking expedition to Honduras in July 2006. As a health-conscious 26-year-old, cancer never entered her mind.

On day five of the Honduras trip, her symptoms became too painful to ignore. Katie experienced severe abdominal cramps and began vomiting. Friends rushed her to the hospital on the Island of Roatan in the early morning hours only find it closed because the workers were on strike. The next day Katie flew to a Honduran hospital on the mainland where doctors relied on x-ray equipment and an ultrasound machine to determine there was definitely a blockage in Katie’s colon. Exploratory surgery would be needed to uncover exactly what this obstruction was. With ants climbing along the IV pole and unidentifiable stains on the hospital room floor, Katie and her friend Stacy Herr knew it was time to call AirMed. Katie had an AirMed membership through her insurance carrier.

With no runway lights, the AirMed crew –– complete with registered nurses –– had to wait until day break to make their way to Katie in La Ceiba In approximately the same amount of time it took Katie and Stacy to get through customs upon arriving in Honduras, the two adventure-seekers were jetted back to Katie’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, where her parents and a gastrologist were waiting.

“It was so nice to see people who spoke English,” Stacy Herr said. “AirMed flew us back very efficiently, and the best part was that they called and checked in on Katie. That’s quality of care right there.”

Tests indicated colon cancer, and Katie had surgery the next day to remove a portion of her colon. The cancer had spread to five lymph nodes as well, and it was six weeks before doctors determined the cancer had fortunately not spread to other organs. The cancerous lymph nodes were removed and an additional PT scan revealed no cancer remained.

With a brave face, positive attitude, and much support, Katie endured chemotherapy and has returned to kayaking. During the summer of 2007 she and her friends organized the “Boof Against the Odds” fundraiser collecting donations for miles they kayaked and jogged. All proceeds were donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation and First Descents, a kayak camp for young adults ages 15 to 25 with cancer.