Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan has opened up about her health journey after she was diagnosed with skin cancer – and had a very expensive blood test in the process
Katherine Ryan has shared her shock over the fact she was stiffed with a six thousand pound bill amid a cancer scare. The 41-year-old Canadian comedian, who is married to childhood sweetheart Bobby Kootstra, 43, this year shared that she had been diagnosed with a form of skin cancer for the second time.
The mum-of-three has been keeping fans updated on the testing and surgery that she has been undergoing after noticing one of her moles looked aggressive. She has shared details of her health journey so far – explaining that she underwent private treatment after the NHS dismissed her concerns.
She has undergone surgery to remove the mole and has now had a vitro genetics test to help detect any other potential health issues. The test itself involves taking blood – and Katherine was stunned to discover she was being charged £6,000 for the pleasure.
Opening up on her Telling Everybody Everything podcast, she began: “This company was so amazing and really attentive right away.
“I got an email right after my meeting with the oncologist from the patient coordinator who was like, we are going to do this DNA test, we just have to take some of your blood and we’re gonna send someone to your house to get it. I was like, perfect!
“The guy shows up – an absolute hunk. A very well-dressed, young, Selling Sunset type. It was a great experience. The phlebotomist took my blood quickly and everyone looked after me very well.”
However, events took a turn. She continued: “They leave, and then seconds later into my inbox, I get the bill. Six grand! Six thousand pounds for the blood test. I thought, oh God, I knew that Selling Sunset hunk was too premium.”
“I showed Bobby and that was my biggest mistake. He was like, ‘What?! A blood test!?’ And I was like, you know what though Bobby, if it saves your life, then that’s very little. I just think you can’t be too careful with this stuff. I’m very lucky to have access to this kind of thing.”
The star is still waiting for her results, but is glad to have undergone the test. She went on: “My understanding is it can test tumours and it can test your blood and it can test your DNA for exactly what type of cancer you may have, or what type of cancer gene.
“Like, I may have a melanoma gene. I don’t know what they can do with that information – I think there are some medications to turn that gene off – but they do in vitro testing on your specific DNA. So they take your DNA and put it in glass and they use a variety of treatments on the specific genome that you have, and it will show what works best for you.
“Just to be clear, I don’t need any other treatments at the minute. We’re just doing investigative preventative stuff. It’s a little trial and error before they land on the thing that works for you or for that specific type of cancer that you’re dealing with.”
Katherine added: “If you are undergoing any type of cancer investigations or treatments and you are doing that through the NHS, I think ask your NHS doctor if they do in vitro genetic testing to see what type of treatment is right for you.”
The Canada’s Got Talent judge previously battled stage II melanoma in her twenties – and had a a mole removed from her leg to defeat the disease.
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