Episode summary
In Part 2 of Katherine Keys’ story on MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast, hosts Dave and Anna continue their conversation with Katherine about her life following an extrapleural pneumonectomy — the surgical removal of her lung and its lining — performed by Dr. David Rice on July 18, 2007. Katherine shares the physical reality of recovery: weeks in the hospital, six months of around-the-clock supplemental oxygen, physical therapy to relearn breathing and even swallowing, and the ongoing nerve damage she manages on her right side to this day. She describes adapting her daily habits — eating slowly, monitoring air quality, exercising within new limits — while crediting her pre-surgery fitness and her faith as key factors in her recovery. A surgeon Katherine’s host encountered at an international mesothelioma conference confirmed that, nearly 18 to 19 years after her surgery, Katherine appears to be the longest-surviving patient with pleural mesothelioma who underwent lung removal. This is an exceptional, individual outcome — her survival far exceeds the average and is not representative of typical results. Dr. Rice’s team still treats Katherine, and she continues to speak openly about her journey to let others facing a mesothelioma diagnosis know that difficult days are survivable and that support matters.
- Katherine Keys had her lung and its lining surgically removed on July 18, 2007, by Dr. David Rice, and recovered over a period that included hospitalization through August and six months on supplemental oxygen — a demanding process that required relearning how to breathe and swallow.
- Physical fitness before surgery and ongoing exercise after recovery appear to have played a meaningful role in Katherine’s outcome; her pulmonary function tests have consistently measured around 60% of normal capacity, which she attributes in part to staying active.
- A surgeon at an international mesothelioma conference told the hosts that Katherine is believed to be the longest-surviving patient with pleural mesothelioma who had a lung removed — nearly 18 to 19 years post-surgery. Experts quoted average survival at roughly 18 months; Katherine’s outcome is exceptional and individual, not a typical result.
- Katherine continues to experience permanent adaptations, including nerve damage on her right side, sensitivity to air quality, and the need to eat slowly — she frames these not as failures but as her “new normal,” and wants others to know that bad days are part of the journey and that community support makes a difference.
Full transcript
MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast
You’re listening to MESO, the Mesothelioma podcast, where education, and outreach come together for families facing
What what kind of symptoms did what how did things medically once he they drew the fluid off, right? Did they ever draw the fluid off? They did, I guess, right? Or no?
Um, talk in. And they were trying to talk, they were trying to draw the fluid when they did the big needle. Yeah.
Yeah. And you had like a brick, still had that feeling of a in, you know, in your chest for that whole time.
I sure did. I sure did. But um, Dr. Rice, David Rice, he is such a wonderful guy.
Yeah.
I mean, he does his homework, he does somebody else’s I mean, he is just he just doesn’t leave anything. No, he doesn’t leave any stones unturned. Right. So he sat down, he showed me what my lung should look He showed me what it looks like with the mesothelioma on there. And he um sat down and explained to me everything, the procedures and everything. And I was like, okay, let’s go, let’s do it. Wow, yeah, let’s do it.
Good.
Yeah.
So when when did you have the surgery?
I had my surgery done on July the 18th of 2007.
Wow, okay.
Yeah. And what and what tell us now? You were a big runner, right? You were in great shape at that time, weren’t you?
I mean oh yes. I worked out all the time. I always worked out. Yeah, I had to be I had to be in really good shape to have the surgery.
Right.
Absolutely.
Yeah. And then uh they did this. Just tell us a little bit about that. What what what did they do to you?
Um, they went in and um through my back, and they um my like sixth my sixth rib, and they went in and took my lung and the lining of my lung.
Wow.
Yeah. And so I was in the hospital probably till like August, from July to about the end of August. Right. And then um I got discharged in in August. And then in October is when I started doing my Wow. Wow. Yeah. So after after you had your lung removed, was it was it really difficult because what I’ve heard from other uh is that it’s a little scary and difficult to try to breathe with just one lung. I mean, was there is there’s some uh difficulty there or uh well yes. I was on um as I was like on um oxygen machine for 24-7, 24 hours a day. Oxygen everywhere I went, go to the shower, oxygen, lay down, sleep.
I didn’t know that. Uh-huh. Yeah, I was on you know, you know, uh a study was done 10 years ago, maybe a little longer, and it was done in and it was about whether you should even do this right? You know, having a lung removed, right? It’s such a major, major thing. And in Europe they decided it wasn’t worth it, and um they didn’t do it, and then the outcome wasn’t wasn’t but in your case, you had a fantastic outcome. Did they do heated in uh heated chemo for you too? No, they didn’t do okay, they didn’t do an IV, okay. That’s very interesting. Okay. Now, Dr. Rice is amazing, he is an exception.
George Rice is amazing, okay. He is the best.
There’s a lot of great things about him. He’s also kind of a um relatively famous uh medical artist, too. He is I’ve seen his some of his artwork, and really it stunning. You would have thought he drawn it was a painting. I mean, but you would have thought it was a actual of medical organs and that sort of thing. So absolutely amazing. He has such a great attitude, but but anyway, you’re very fortunate to have him. And I uh at this last meeting I went. Go ahead. What we’re gonna say.
Yes, because uh I’m very fortunate. I was very fortunate because they had tried to send me to another doctor, I think he was Chinese or something.
Uh-huh.
I can’t even remember his name, but that’s who I to have. But I told you I’m a spiritual person. I had already prayed about this stuff. I mean, really prayed. I I to this day, I still have a relationship with my Yeah, it’s so much stuff he lets me know so much.
Um, and what was I gonna say? So at the the last international mesothelioma meeting I to, uh, which was in Philadelphia, it’s it it goes to a country every year. This year, yeah, it was in the US. But I was talking to one of the surgeons that was in that study in Europe, and and I had mentioned you, he said how long she’s been out. I said, I thought it’s been about 18 years, so almost 18 going on 19 years. He goes, That’s you’re the longest surviving uh patients that actually had pleural mesothelioma that had their lung removed. So you are no one else has survived. Things are changing now. There’s a lot of new therapies and that sort of thing have improved, uh, but but for what you went through, you’ve had an amazing recovery and and all of that. So, what did you do as far as recovery? What was your what was your regimen and how long did it before you had to you could kick that oxygen bottle away?
Oh gosh. Oh, I was on oxygen for seems like forever, but um I I may have been on it, I would say at least six months. Wow, okay. At least six months.
Okay.
Day in, day up.
Were you walking and exercising at that time or just kind of laying up trying to trying to get through it?
Um, I did have I did have uh physical therapy after they showed me how to, you know, kind of pace myself and to breathe, and I actually had to learn how to chew my food all over again because they said I was I was swallowing my food backwards.
Really?
Which is really kind of, you know. But even to this day, as far as that goes, um, I that’s why I try, I always have to get it to go. If I go out to eat, I always have to get it to go box I have to eat slow. If I don’t eat slow, the food goes back up into my nose and it stays there, and it’s so painful. So I have to eat really slow.
Wow.
And rather than me hold up everybody else, I was like, oh, I’ll just eat it’s so much, and then so did you exercising again?
What did you do to kind of get back into a normal okay?
Yes, yes.
I don’t know if you ever ran again, so I don’t know if could run.
Um I haven’t ran, but I do kind of get on the and jog. Okay. Yeah. Jog a little bit. Yeah. I I still do I still do exercises. I still get on there. Um, thank God for silver sneakers, right?
That’s right.
So um but you still even after even after um the surgery and and you were on oxygen, you did start working out, your endurance isn’t what it used to be, is it? Or it is not. Yeah, it’s not changed some of your life and you’ve to adapt to what what you have, you know, what you the limitations that you have. Yeah, some days I can just smooth, I can just go through, you know, like get in my shower or whatever. And then other days it just depends on how the air is. I don’t even have to go outside, and I can tell you if it’s a bad air quality day. Oh wow. Okay. So you have to be careful when you absolutely.
You still go back and see Dr. Rice. Is he uh still your doctor?
He’s still my doctor. Uh-huh. He’s still my doctor. He tried to turn me over to somebody in his office, but I’m not having it.
What is what does he say to you about your, you know, amazing recovery and and success?
Well, every time I go there, they always tell me that a celebrity. And I was like, okay, celebrities. But, you know, I I guess, you know, you guys saying you said, which I I knew that and and one of the things that I every morning I always count my blessings to be still alive, you know, and doing decent, you know, Because my life has changed. But every morning I always thank God for another day, know, and whatever day it is, good day, bad day, me me, whatever, you know, it it it’s always I always him for a good day because um when they told me, they me that the longest person or well they had told me at that time they told me that the longest person that I had like a year.
Yeah, yeah.
They told me I only had like a a year.
Yeah, the average survival is like 18 months. It’s gone up a little bit with some of the the chemo, new chemos and and um and some of the immunotherapy, but still what what you have done is absolutely amazing. So we’re so we’re lucky to have been part of that. We’re so glad you’re in our lives still, and um I’m glad I’m glad you guys think of me.
I really, I really appreciate all of that.
We put you in our survivor book, and um really and and you’re in you’re in one of our books, and uh, but the thing is, you know, you’re the only one that’s you know doing so great, and no one would ever know, right? No one would know.
So no, you can’t look at me and tell. I mean, you really can’t look at me and tell that I have one lung. And some people ask me, well, why don’t you get a lung um transplant? Yeah, and I was like, no, and I and even um after I my surgery, it’s kind of like you know how they take in the um that put do those pulmonary tests and and so um mine always came up to like maybe 60 or of me, you know, breathing. Wow, yeah, that’s but I think it was big had a lot to with my me exercising, yeah. Yeah, no, absolutely.
Well, well, Catherine, we’re gonna let you go. This is our, like I said, our first podcast, and uh for Mizo podcast. So we’re so glad you joined us. We’re gonna have you come back and do a couple more shows and episodes, and and let us little little other aspects of your life.
And uh oh, I have lots and lots and lots of stories, of things to be grateful for, lots of things to be for. And I honestly and truly believe that my work is not because there are some people out there that need to and have support and know that it’s okay if you have a bad day.
Yeah, you know, you had some really I mean, think about you know, people they break their nail and they get upset, right? So uh I can’t find my wallet, you know.
So uh but anyway, but you can’t and even now, Dave, know, um I still suffer with um with uh nerve damage my right side. Yeah, every morning I get up, I have you know, I have to keep that. Right. Yeah, but hey, I that’s just that’s a part of my new
Well, we’re all we’re all blessed during our lives, and we look forward to talking to you again next week if up for it.
So I am up for it.
We’ll do another one and um tell another part of the okay?
That sounds wonderful, Catherine. I appreciate your time. Thank you, Anna. You guys are so sweet. You are so sweet, Anna. Dave, there’s no words.
Don’t say it, don’t say it.
There’s no words that can express how much you mean me in my life, and you know, I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t in my life.
Well, that’s sweet. Grateful you said that. And we talk about you all the time, not the same way we about it. Yeah, y’all talk about me being a good thing. No, no, no, no. Much more flattering of that stuff. Anyway, okay, Catherine. We’re gonna log off here, but uh, we’ll talk to you next week and thank you again for gratefulness of your
All right, all right, guys. Have a great weekend. You too.
Well, I would say happy Thanksgiving. We can say that again next week, okay?
Keep your hands up. That’s right.
That’s right. Bye, Catherine.
All right, bye-bye. It’s been great. Bye, bye bye. Bye-bye.
Thank you for listening to MESO, the MESO Thelioma podcast. For more information, resources, and support, visit our Danziger and Diano at dandel.com.
Frequently asked questions
What surgical procedure did Katherine Keys have, and what does recovery from it typically involve?
Katherine had an extrapleural pneumonectomy — removal of her lung and the lining around it — performed by Dr. David Rice in July 2007. As she describes it, recovery involved a hospital stay from July through August, followed by roughly six months on supplemental oxygen around the clock, physical therapy to relearn breathing and swallowing, and gradual reintroduction of exercise. This is a major surgery with significant recovery demands, and Katherine’s experience is her own; anyone considering or facing this procedure should discuss the full process with their own medical team.
How long has Katherine Keys survived after mesothelioma treatment, and is that typical?
As the hosts note, Katherine is approaching 18 to 19 years since her surgery — and a surgeon at an international mesothelioma conference described her as the longest-surviving patient with pleural mesothelioma who underwent lung removal. The hosts mention that average survival has historically been around 18 months, though new therapies including immunotherapy have improved outcomes for some patients. Katherine’s survival is exceptional and individual; it is not representative of what most patients should expect, and outcomes vary widely based on disease stage, treatment, and individual health factors.
What treatment options exist for mesothelioma beyond surgery?
Katherine’s podcast conversation touches on surgery (extrapleural pneumonectomy) and chemotherapy — including a reference to heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), which she did not receive. The hosts mention that immunotherapy has emerged as another option that has helped improve survival for some patients. Mesothelioma treatment is complex and individual, and the right approach depends on many factors including disease type and stage. This episode is educational; anyone facing a mesothelioma diagnosis should consult a specialist to understand which options may apply to their situation.
Did Katherine Keys’ physical fitness before surgery affect her recovery?
Katherine and the hosts discuss this directly. She was an active runner and exercised regularly before her diagnosis, and both she and her care team felt that being in good physical shape was important for tolerating the surgery. After surgery, she continued physical therapy and returned to light exercise, including jogging on a treadmill. Her pulmonary function tests have measured around 60% of normal capacity — which she believes her commitment to staying active helped achieve. Pre-surgical fitness is one factor among many and does not guarantee any particular outcome.
What long-term adjustments has Katherine made to live with one lung?
Katherine describes several lasting adaptations: she must eat slowly and carefully to prevent food from going the wrong way, she can detect bad air quality days without going outside because of how her breathing is affected, and she manages ongoing nerve damage on her right side. She still exercises — including Silver Sneakers classes — but acknowledges her endurance is not what it once was. She frames these changes as her “new normal” rather than limitations that define her, and encourages others to give themselves permission to have difficult days.
Related episodes
- From Terminal Prognosis To Purpose: Katherine Keyes On Life After Mesothelioma
- From ICU To Independence: A Mesothelioma Survivor’s Road Back
- A Patient’s Journey Through ICU, Recovery, And The Power Of Honest Doctors
- They Called Her Family to Say Goodbye: Katherine Keys’ Mesothelioma Surgery and 18-Year Survival (Part 3)
- The Longest-Known Survivor of Pleural Mesothelioma: Katherine Keys’ 18-Year Journey (Part 1)
Hosts: David Foster & Anna Jackson (Patient Advocates).
MESO: The Mesothelioma Podcast is produced by MesoCare.org and sponsored by Danziger & De Llano. This episode is educational and is not medical or legal advice.
Medically reviewed by Marcelo C. DaSilva, MD, FACS, FICS — Thoracic Surgeon, Medical Director of Thoracic Surgery, AdventHealth Cancer Institute (last reviewed 2026-06-15).